Outrage After Texas Police Officer Poses With Mountain Lion He Struck & Killed In A Collision

Photo from: Longview Police Department’s Facebook

Public outrage has grown after a Longview, Texas, police officer was photographed holding the body of a mountain lion he struck and killed with his patrol car. According to a statement from the Longview Police Department, the incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Tuesday, December 10th, near a middle school.

Critics have condemned the photo, calling it insensitive and disrespectful to wildlife. Many argue that posing with the animal’s lifeless body trivializes its death and reflects a lack of reverence for creatures that share our landscapes. The photo, which circulated widely after being shared by the Longview Police Department on Facebook, was met with significant backlash, with commenters labeling it as tasteless and offensive.

“Due to the extent of its injuries, the animal was put down at the scene,” the department said in the December 11th Facebook post.

The department contacted Texas Parks & Wildlife and the Gregg County Game warden to remove the animal from the scene. A biologist from the wildlife agency collected DNA and other biological samples, determining that the mountain lion was a 3 to 4-year-old female weighing 83.5 pounds.

Wildlife advocates emphasize that such encounters should prompt reflection and respect, not photo opportunities. Mountain lions, vital apex predators in Texas ecosystems, deserve far more consideration than to be reduced to props for social media. This incident has sparked renewed calls for greater awareness and education about living alongside wildlife—and for treating them with the dignity they deserve, even in death.

The officer’s picture with the mountain lion sparked outrage in the comments on the department’s post. “Hate that he’s smiling. It’s super sad and not funny at all,” one person wrote.

Officials are asking East Texas residents to report any mountain lion sightings to TPWD Nongame Wildlife Biologist Dave Holdermann at dave.holdermann@tpwd.texas.gov.