Donald Trump Jr. is being investigated for shooting a protected duck while he and his hunting party were in the Venice Lagoon.
Prosecutors in Venice have initiated a criminal investigation into Trump Jr.’s hunting party.
The probe revolves around whether Trump Jr. and his friends killed a protected, rare orange-plumed Ruddy Shelduck in December, La Nuova Venezia reported.
Public prosecutor Daniela Moroni opened the inquiry after Venetian councilor Andrea Zanoni raised concerns and a legal complaint based on a video of Trump Jr.’s hunting trip that circulated on social media.
The video in question shows several dead birds, including one unusually colored duck that allegedly could be a Ruddy Shelduck, a rare species in Europe.
The footage also shows Donald Trump Jr. dressed in hunting camouflage and surrounded by the dead ducks.
“This is actually a rather uncommon duck for the area — not even sure what it is in English,” Trump Jr. said in the video.
The video had been posted by Field Ethos, an outdoor adventure brand and website founded by Trump Jr.
Trump Jr. and his team is now speaking out.
“Don and his group had all the proper permits and were hunting in a legally allowed area, where there were countless other hunting groups present,” a rep for Don Jr. told Page Six.
“While it’s unclear whether this single duck was unintentionally shot by someone in Don’s hunting group, another hunting group, or killed in a different manner and retrieved by the groups hunting dog, Don takes following all rules, regulations, and conservation on his hunts very seriously and plans on fully cooperating with any investigation.”
Donald Trump Jr. Facing Jail Time
Italian lawmakers have accused Donald J. Trump Jr., the president’s son, of hunting a protected duck in Venice’s lagoon.
They have reportedly opened an investigation that will determine whether Trump Jr. illegally shot an orange-plumed Ruddy Shelduck in December.
If convicted, Don Jr. faces both jail time and a fine for the act.
