A second monkey was shot and killed in Mississippi, while authorities continue the search for a third primate that remains missing a week after a truck carrying laboratory animals crashed.

Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson said a civilian shot the monkey after seeing it cross a road near the site of the crash on October 28 October 28. Later, personnel from the transport company recovered the animal's body.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fish and Parks confirmed that one of the monkeys is still missing, while two were found dead.

Authorities reiterated that rhesus monkeys are aggressive and that no one should attempt to capture them.

Truck carrying 21 primates overturned on a highway

The accident occurred on Interstate 59, north of Heidelberg, when a truck transporting 21 monkeys overturned, causing several of them to escape.

Videos from the scene showed broken cages and animals running through tall grass. Search teams in protective suits combed nearby woods and fields. Five monkeys died during the operation, and three were initially missing, according to authorities. Over the weekend, a woman in Heidelberg shot and killed another monkey after seeing it near her home. Jessica Bond Ferguson said she acted out of fear that animals could transmit diseases. “We had been warned that they could be infected, so I shot to protect my children,” she told local media. However, officials from Tulane University and PreLabs, the company responsible for the transport, asserted that the animals did not carry any known diseases and had undergone recent health checks. The monkeys' origin and the investigations: The primates came from the Tulane University National Center for Biomedical Research in Louisiana. Although the institution clarified that it neither owned nor was responsible for the transport. PreLabs confirmed that the animals were being legally transported to an authorized facility and announced a review of its safety protocols. Sheriff Johnson noted that, despite not being contagious, the monkeys are very aggressive and must be restrained.The Mississippi Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the accident.