Escaped herd of buffalo shot dead after crossing NY highway

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Authorities gave the order to fire after 15 buffaloes that escaped from a farm crossed a major highway and approached schools.

Three men hired by the farm killed the animals in the town of Coeymans, about 10 miles south of Albany, N.Y.

Experts told authorities tranquilizers would not work and there was no way to transport the animals.

The buffaloes escaped from the farm Thursday, then apparently swam across a river to the town of Bethlehem, then wandered across a busy part of Interstate 87 and into Coeymans.

A police helicopter followed the herd.

The buffaloes escaped from GEM Farms, which raises the animals for their meat. However, the animals that were destroyed Friday cannot by law be sold for meat.