Kangaroos aren’t exactly known for being the most pettable animals, but some people just can’t seem to get enough of them. One such person was a South Carolina man named Eric Slate, who recently died after being struck multiple times. The cause? A rough encounter with a kangaroo.
Eric was the brother of the owner of 5 Star Farm, which gave him access to some of the animal enclosures especially that of a kangaroo named Jack. According to reports, Eric had a habit of entering the enclosure to engage in what he considered “roughhousing” with the animal. It appears he believed he could hold his own against Jack. Unfortunately, that assumption proved fatal when an interaction turned violent, leading to his death on a Friday night.
His brother later shared the tragic news in a Facebook post mourning his passing. Local authorities were notified of the incident. After all, it’s not every day someone dies after a fight with a kangaroo. Fortunately, Jack the kangaroo was not euthanized. However, inspectors announced plans to visit 5 Star Farm to ensure that the kangaroo’s enclosure meets safety standards.
Police officers are still actively investigating the case. They have confirmed that no kangaroos are on the loose. All animals recorded by the farm remain safely within their enclosures. The owners of 5 Star Farm also emphasized that all animals have always been securely contained, even when Eric decided to get up close with the kangaroos.
While Eric’s family mourned his passing, many people online didn’t share the same sympathy. Some believed he brought it upon himself by attempting to fight a kangaroo. “He wanted a fight, and he got one. The kangaroo was just better at roughhousing this round,” one Redditor commented.
Another user argued that what the South Carolina man did wasn’t harmless fun but outright animal abuse. “So this man abused a kangaroo on the regular and ended up dead because of his actions. We’re supposed to feel sorry for him? Acting like animal abuse was just part of a cute friendship? All those animals need to be removed,” the user wrote.
One commenter even warned others against getting too close to kangaroos, pointing out just how dangerous they can be.
“They’re incredibly strong. They’ve got a ton of upper body strength, but they’ll also lean back on their muscular tail and kick with serious force. Oh, and they’ll lure you into water and drown you. Leave the kangaroos alone!”
