The Enfield Horror
In 1973, a man in a small Illinois town said a short, grey creature with three legs and pink eyes scratched at his door, then bounded away.
What was reported
On the night of 25 April 1973, a man in the small town of Enfield, Illinois, told police that a strange creature had tried to get into his house. He said it was about 1.5 metres tall, grey, with three legs, short arms and large pink eyes. He fired at it, and it hissed and ran off, covering great distances in a few bounds.
Police found strange tracks. Other sightings followed, and a researcher who came to investigate said he heard a shrill cry from the creature.
Explanations offered
The sighting was widely reported, and the police chief said the stories were damaging. Sceptics suggest an escaped kangaroo or another animal, combined with panic and imagination. The creature is now part of Illinois's collection of local legends.
- When
- April–May 1973
- Where
- Enfield, Illinois, USA
- Witnesses
- A local man, and later investigators
- Status
- Unconfirmed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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