A woman near Heidelberg, Mississippi, shot and killed a rhesus monkey that escaped after a truck crash last week, saying she feared for her children’s safety. Jessica Bond Ferguson said she fired when the animal appeared in her yard; state wildlife officials later took the body. Authorities said most of the 21 monkeys died in the crash, with three escaping. Tulane University said the primates, linked to its research center but not owned by the university, were pathogen-free despite early warnings of disease, and officials were searching for the remaining animals, which the sheriff said should be neutralized.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.