A Mississippi mother shot and killed one of the monkeys that escaped a truck overturned on Interstate 59, saying she fired because she feared for her kids’ safety. 

The crash, which happened on Oct. 28, ejected 21 primates from their crates; 13 were recovered at the scene, five were killed during the initial response, and three were unaccounted for before the weekend. 

Jessica Bond Ferguson, a 35-year-old chef and mother of five who lives near Heidelberg, told The Associated Press her 16-year-old son alerted her after seeing the monkey in her yard. She said she grabbed a firearm, saw the animal about 60 ft. away, and fired. “I did what any other mother would do to protect her children,” she told the AP. “I shot at it and it just stood there, and I shot again, and he backed up and that’s when he fell.”

Local authorities said initial reports from the truck’s crew claimed the animals carried infectious diseases. Tulane and the primate supplier later said the animals were pathogen-free. Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson said the monkeys still needed to be “neutralized” because of their aggressive behavior.

State wildlife officials and the sheriff’s office have said they do not plan to pursue criminal charges over the shooting, and county officials have defended Ferguson’s actions amid community concern and confusion about the animals’ health. There is still one primate at large and officials are continuing the search for it.