Llamas Lead Authorities on Chase in Phoenix
Posted February 26, 2015 - 12:14pm - Updated February 26, 2015 - 2:20pm
Two llamas were on the loose in Sun City, Arizona, Thursday, with TV cameras following them as law enforcement closed in.
Of course, it didnt take long before Twitter joined in the hunt.
#Llamas became a trending topic worldwide.
The chase began after a 911 call came in to the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office just before noon, reporting that a black llama and a white llama had escaped from an assisted living facility, where they were about to do patient therapy work.
Lt. Brandon Jones said the llamas darted between cars, delaying traffic.
It took nearly an hour to catch them, CNN affiliate KNXV reported.
In the meantime, a string of social media users chimed in.
NFL Network reporter Jeff Darlington couldnt contain his excitement:
@JeffDarlington said:
I literally yelled at the TV in excitement as the llama escaped the lasso. This, my friends, is why football needs to be a year-round sport.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were impressed with the white llamas dodging skills.
@TBBuccaners said:
Gotta love how well he avoids the defense #NFLDraft RT @SInow: And with the first pick in the draft, the @TBBuccaneers pick the white llama.
The Arizona Cardinals also saw a recruiting opportunity, posting that the llamas would soon be joining the football teams lineup.
@AZCardinals said:
The #AZCardinals have agreed to one-year deals with the #llamasontheloose. Each llama will earn 2,340 lbs of hay. Steve Keim does it again.
ABC news anchor Tom Llamas said he was recusing himself from covering the story.
@TomLlamasABC said:
I am recusing myself from coverage of this story. There will be no further comment. #TeamLlamas #LlamaChase #LlamaWatch
The chase sent CNNs Steve Brusk down memory lane.
@stevebruskCNN said:
The llama chase reminds me of story when I worked in Columbus. Wayward llama was killed by hit and run driver. We called it the llamacide.
The Daily Beasts Asawin Suebsaeng noted that it was only a matter of time before someone blamed President Barack Obama for what happened.
@swin24 said:
the world is on fire and #nobama is making stupid buzzfeed selfie stick videos and not corralling llamas #tcot
The official Twitter account of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the United States Northern Command weighed in with an analysis of the llamas motives.
@NoradNorthcom said:
@julianbarnes Llama had no known connections to ISIS. Appears to have self-radicalized.
In the end, citizens helped capture the llamas, who were on the way home Thursday afternoon, Jones said.
Needless to say, they are on their way back to the ranch, the lieutenant said. There was no therapy.
