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Goose Parenting Gone Wild .. attacks police officer
Male Canada goose, reportedly attacked Cincinnati police Lt. Michael Savard Friday evening. The lieutenant fell into a plate glass window, seriously cutting his arm. / The Enquirer/Carrie Whitaker
BOND HILL – A Cincinnati police lieutenant who was out riding a bike on patrol through the Jordan Crossing strip mall Friday evening reportedly was ambushed by a male Canada goose protecting its mate and their nest, somehow knocking him from his bike and into a plate-glass window, seriously cutting his arm.
Lt. Michael Savard’s injuries required stitches, but he was expected to be released from the hospital Friday night, said Cincinnati police Capt. Jeff Butler, though Butler said he did not have details about how he was injured.
Jordan Crossing security guard Orlando Smith said he was informed the lieutenant had been attacked by a goose, which this time of year can generally be found standing on the roof of the single-story strip mall, keeping a watchful eye on individuals who might bother his mate and their nest, which she built in a square planter in the center of the open-air strip mall.
“He can be intimidating,” Smith said of the male, adding that for the three years he’s worked security at the mall, several Canada geese have come to Jordan Crossing to nest. This year, the nest the lieutenant was near contains just one egg, he said.
“This is their place,” Smith said, “but people always mess with the geese.”
Jordan Crossing maintenance man David Montgomery was called to clean up the broken glass and seal up the window.
He was told by people who witnessed the accident that the officer was riding his bike toward the female goose’s nest when the male swooped down on him.
“No one is supposed to ride bikes through here,” Montgomery said. “There are signs posted.”
He said it’s certainly one of the strangest things he’s heard about working there, but added that the mall put a chain-link fence up around the mother goose and her egg because the geese can be aggressive.
