Man pummels 'vampire' peacock

NEW YORK (AP) -- A peacock that roamed into the parking lot of a Burger King in New York City was beaten by a man who insisted it was a vampire.

Animal control officials in Staten Island say the bird was beaten so fiercely that most of its tail feathers fell out and it had to be euthanized.

The seven-year-old male peacock wandered into the restaurant parking lot and perched on a car hood last week. Charmed employees had been feeding it bread when the man appeared.

A restaurant worker says the man grabbed the bird by the neck, hurled it to the ground and started stomping it. She says when he was asked what he was doing, he responded, "'I'm killing a vampire!"'

Employees called police, but the man ran when he saw them.

	Man Beats Peacock He Says Was Vampire	Associated Press	Sun Jul 1	4
	Man Pummels 'Vampire' Peacock	CNN	Sun Jul 1	0
	Man beats peacock because he thought it was a vampire	silive.com	Mon Jul 2	6