Friday afternoon a Bluffton Icon viewer notified The Icon that a fox was shot by Bluffton police between Tom Fett Road and the Maple Grove Cemetery earlier today.

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Upon contacting Rick Skilliter, Bluffton police chief, Skilliter told The Icon: “I can confirm one animal determined to be an ill fox was destroyed and buried by village crews earlier today.”

It cannot be confirmed that the animal was the “mystery beast” witnessed by countless Bluffton and Ada Icon viewers. However, if no more sighting of the animal are reported, it is probable that the animal destroyed was, in fact, the animal with photos posted this week on The Icon.

The stories and photos and posted on both Icons received over 3,000 views in a two-day period from over 20 countries around the world, according to Google Analytics.