150 people found at cockfighting ring outside Gooding

The Gooding County Sheriff’s Office on Friday busted a cockfighting event involving about 150 people and 80 roosters outside Gooding.

Law enforcement discovered the chicken fight around 9:30 p.m. when they responded to a noise complaint at a residence north of the city. Upon arrival, there were about 100 vehicles parked outside a shop on the property, according to the sheriff’s office.

The roosters were confiscated and taken to the Gooding County Fairgrounds and the birds were euthanized the following day by the Idaho Humane Society.

All of the people found at the scene were detained and their names and addresses were taken down. Due to the large number of people at the scene, individuals were not immediately arrested, but the investigation is ongoing.

Deputies also found cocking fighting paraphernalia, such as spurs that are put on the roosters, an illegal firearm and marijuana.

Sheriff Shaun Gough said it will be difficult to determine who the marijuana belonged to because people started throwing it when police arrived.

Gough said he believes the organizer has been identified but the suspect has not yet been charged due to an ongoing investigation. The suspect’s name will likely be released later this week, Gough said.

Participating in a cockfight is a misdemeanor crime and organizing a cockfight is a felony.

This story was originally published March 27, 2017 at 3:13 PM with the headline "150 people found at cockfighting ring outside Gooding."