Outback tragedy as sports shooters 'accidentally slaughter hundreds of thousands dollars' worth of prized horses on a remote cattle station leaving owners 'heartbroken and devastated'
Thirty prized horses have been 'accidentally slaughtered' on a remote cattle station in the Northern Territory by members of a shooters club.
Killarney Station manager Jamie Laurisson reported 30 of their horses, which were worth half-a-million dollars, were savagely killed.
The two sports shooters entered the property without permission and went on a shooting spree.
Thirty prized horses have been 'accidentally slaughtered' at Killarney Station in the Northern Territory
The 30 horses were worth about half-a-million dollars and were shot by two members of a shooting club
Mr Laurisson described the shooter's acts as 'mind-numbingly stupid' stating they did not have permission to be there.
'The horses were not shot in a humane or professional manner as one would expect from members of a shooters' association,' he told NT News.
'The loss of these horses has had a massive impact on staff, management and principles of Killarney station.
'Initially (there was) shock and disbelief, then grief, anger, heartbreak and devastation.'
Mr Laurisson said the police are investigating the shooting and will decide whether it is 'deemed a criminal act.
Killarney Station confirmed police were investigating the shooting and have hired a legal team to seek compensation for their devastated staff
The cattle station will also seek compensation for years of hard work with breeding and training the horses.
'At Killarney our horses are what define us, they are our mates, members of our team, they are what make getting up before daylight every morning all worth it. Nothing is ever going to repair the heart break we are all feeling,' an post shared by the Station on Instagram read.
A legal team has also been hired to launch a civil suit on behalf of staff seeking compensation for their loss.