Pet peacock killed in Texas after attacking women

HOUSTON: The suburban Houston caretaker of a pet peacock dubbed "Meanie" has shot and killed his feathered friend after the bird fanned his feathers and used his talons to attack several women.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office says in a statement the peacock attacked a woman on Friday while she was being questioned by a deputy investigating a complaint about the bird. The deputy fired a stun gun at the peacock, but he continued his attack. The statement says the frightened woman fled indoors and the peacock's caretaker used his shotgun to kill the bird.

The peacock's caretaker Riley Richards told KHOU he and his wife called the bird Meanie. He says the bird, who was owned by his daughter, had previously attacked other female relatives.