‘Highly aggressive’ snake on the loose after it killed a pet store worker in Texas

A teenage pet store worker is dead in Austin, Texas from what medics believe was a snake bite, local media report.

Grant Thompson, 18, was rushed to the hospital Wednesday night after medics found him in his car with puncture wounds on his wrist that resembled a snake bite.

A pet lover whose family owns a pet store in Temple, Texas, and who was known to friends at “The Reptile Guy,” passed away after going into cardiac arrest. The official cause of death will not be confirmed until officials can perform an autopsy.

After inspecting the boy’s car, however, the Austin Police Department and Animal Control found one non-venomous snake, six tarantulas and and one bull frog. One animal was unaccounted for: a cobra snake.

According to Texas Health and Safety Codes, it is illegal to possess a dangerous wild animal without a license. Poisonous snakes, however, aren’t considered dangerous wild animals.

Police say the monocled cobra, could be anywhere, but was likely to be in the area where Thompson was found in his car. They’ve urged people in the area to call 911 immediately if they spot the poisonous snake, which is described as “highly aggressive.”

Residents of Austin are slightly worried about the newly-freed cobra snake.

Despite the tragedy and ongoing dangerous snake hunt, at least one person created a Twitter account for the missing Cobra: @Austin_Cobra. Its Twitter bio reads, “New in town, looking for a condo to call my own.”

Source: Mashable