Police in Massachusetts rounded up an escaped emu that was identified as a repeat-offender belonging to an officer’s father.
Barnstable police responded Wednesday morning to the area of Wild Way, near Santuit-Newtown Road, where an emu was spotted running loose.
Nicholas Giammarco, an officer with the Yarmouth Police Department, received a call from another officer asking if he knew the bird.
“My dad has a farm in Marstons Mills just off Santuit-Newtown Road, so I knew this had to be Walter,” Giammarco told WHDH-TV. “I immediately called my dad, who was still asleep, to let him know Walter was on the run again and I was headed out to try and get him.”
A witness captured video of the emu wandering the area while police blocked traffic.
Giammarco arrived on the scene and set about wrangling Walter.
“He startles easily, so as I began walking toward him and the officers got out of their cruisers he began to run,” he said. “I followed him to the backyard of one of the residences and was able to capture him at the wood line. He has a harness, so I tied the rope to it and brought him back out to the road.”
Giammarco’s father soon arrived with his trailer and some birdseed to transport Walter home safely.
No injuries were reported, and police said no citations were injured.
Giammarco said Walter previously made waves locally when he escaped in September 2025.
