Candlelight vigil held for bull who died after escaping Queens slaughterhouse

JAMAICA, Queens (WABC) -- There was an unusual candlelight memorial Wednesday night in front of a slaughterhouse in Queens.

They're remembering the bull who escaped certain death Tuesday and took over the streets.

Cops couldn't exactly get him to heel so they shot him with tranquilizers and he died.

The people at the vigil wonder if the bull could have been saved.

"No one deserves cruelty, abuse, torture or murder," a protester said.

The turnout was strong.

"We're here fighting for our brother," another protester said.

The mood was grim.

"Today we're paying respects to a life lost, a beautiful life," a protester said.

Another innocent victim was cut down in the street.

"Who was taken from the inadequacies of the New York City Police Department being able to respond to a situation," a protester said.

They're talking about "Courage." That's the name they've given the several hundred pound bull that escaped from a Jamaica slaughterhouse Tuesday.

Police struggled for hours to contain the animal as it did what bulls do, and run through neighborhoods near the Jamaica train hub.

Cops hit it with multiple tranquilizer darts, but it still trotted for 10 blocks before it collapsed and died.

"Thousands of New Yorkers watched this bull and rooted for his survival," a protester said.

A group calling itself "Vegans of New York" lit candles outside the slaughterhouse where Courage was destined for a certain fate.

They say he was the third bull have escaped from this slaughterhouse in just over a year. They're begging for better training so that similar situations end a little more humanely.

"They were so moved by this bull, covered in feces fighting for his freedom just like you would and just like I hope I would if I was facing the pain and fear and imminent death that he had looming in front of him," a protester said.

"Anybody I think can strongly empathize with somebody, anybody, yearning to be free and to not be oppressed," another protester said.

In Courage they see a kindred spirit who died for their cause.