Koala Di*s After Allegedly Being Tied to a Vehicle and Dragged Down the Street in ‘Brazen Attack’

The incident — which left the creature “gurgling blood” and covered in abrasions — occurred in a small town in Victoria, Australia on Wednesday, March 25

A disturbing incident involving a koala has drawn widespread attention in Australia. Authorities say the animal was fatally injured in a case that is now under investigation.

On Wednesday, March 25, a carer who works for Mosswood Wildlife — a local volunteer wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center — was called to the scene in the western Victoria town of Koroit shortly after 5 p.m. local time, per the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Volunteer manager, Colleen Edwards, told the outlet of the incident, which occurred at King Street in the small town, “There was blood and fur along the road where it got dragged.”

The koala ended up having to be euthanized by a volunteer vet after suffering horrific injuries, the ABC reported.

A rope had reportedly been tied around the animal’s neck and the other end had been tied around a vehicle’s hitch ball, the outlet stated, citing Edwards. The koala had then been dragged along the road.

Sharing a local news piece on Facebook, Mosswood Wildlife called the incident a “harrowing thing to witness,” describing the “unfathomable pain” that the “poor koala” would have suffered in the “brazen attack.”

Edwards explained how the animal had been found at Victoria Park Oval in the town, before the volunteer took it back to the organization’s building at around 6 p.m., per the ABC.

“When it got to us, it was gurgling blood and had deep abrasions over a lot of its body,” Edwards told the outlet. “The whole jaw was smashed to smithereens — there were that many fractures and that all through it, that was a bit alarming for us.”

Edwards confirmed in an email to PEOPLE on Thursday, March 26, that authorities had identified the person who committed the crime.

“Our biggest thing at this point is now that the authorities have identified who did this vile act, is to make sure he faces the full force of the law as there are certain details to this case that are deeply disturbing,” she said.

Edwards added, “We want as many people as possible to know so this doesn’t just get brushed under the rug, a slap on the wrist and further precedent set that purposely harming our native wildlife is no big deal, because it should be a big deal!”

“Most of all, we want to see justice for this beautiful koala who was in the prime of his life,” she insisted.

Edwards added to the ABC, “It wasn’t an accident. It was a choice, and a brazen one, at five o’clock in the evening down a residential street.”

“Just think of the people who had to see that, and I can’t imagine what was going through the guy’s mind to do that,” Edwards continued, adding that it was one of the worst cases of animal cruelty she had seen during her time as a volunteer.

“I definitely have a lot less faith in humanity,” Edwards told the outlet.

Mosswood Wildlife has been urging the public to come forward if they have any footage or might have witnessed the incident.

The rescue center wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday, “Absolutely horrendous finish to the day for all involved. If you saw anything or know anything say something.”

“Check your house/door bell cameras if you live anywhere along King Street to Victoria Park or if you possibly have dash cam footage of the event or the vehicle then PLEASE get it to the police as soon as possible,” they added in the post.

Victoria’s Conservation Regulator operations director, Cal Heppell, told the ABC that they’ve been investigating reports of a koala being dragged by a vehicle in Koroit, alongside the Victoria Police.

An RSPCA Victoria spokesperson added to the outlet that the nonprofit organization was deeply concerned by the claims.

Victoria Police, RSPCA Victoria, and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for comment