On Monday, George and Kerri Barnett spotted a monkey running across County Route 39 near Exit 118 in Vossburg. George said the monkey terrified him and his children. He grabbed a rifle and returned to the area where the monkey had climbed a tree in the woods.

When he approached, George said the monkey began snarling and showing its teeth. He fired two shots, killing the animal.

George said two men, claiming to be with the transport company, arrived after he called 911 to recover the monkey’s remains. He made the decision to shoot the monkey to protect his family and nearby neighbors.

“I was just thinking about my kids, and my mom is 85, and my aunt is in her seventies. And just other elderly people, elderly people in the community, they like to be in the gardens and stuff like that. I couldn’t imagine if something were to happen to them. And my mom has been terrified to go outside at night. She calls us in the middle of the night, saying, ‘These dogs are barking, I hope it’s not that monkey.’ So, I just felt like at that point our families, the community, was more important than this thing that’s not even supposed to be here,” said George.

The crash occurred in Jasper County on October 28, 2025, on Interstate 59 north of Heidelberg. Bait and traps have been placed along the wreck site. The Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP) has said it was investigating the cause of the crash.

According to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks (MDWFP), the truck was transported Rhesus Macaques from Tulane National Biomedical Research Center. The crash led to the escape of eight of the 21 monkeys on board. Five of the eight were killed at the crash site, and three escaped.

Another monkey was killed by a Jasper County homeowner on November 2, 2025, after it was discovered on her property.

Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson said the driver of the truck initially told his deputies the monkeys were carrying infectious diseases, including hepatitis. Tulane University, which originally housed the animals, stated the monkeys were free of pathogens.

Officials with PreLabs, LLC, confirmed that the monkeys belonged to the company.

“We are cooperating with authorities and reviewing all safety procedures to ensure the continued wellbeing of both the animals and the community,” the company said in a statement to WJTV 12 News.

MDWFP officials said one monkey is still missing. They said Rhesus Macaques are known to be aggressive, and the public is advised to avoid any contact and should not attempt to approach them. Residents are asked to report any credible sightings to 1-800-BE-SMART.