No tiger spotted in Puyallup, but hunt led to fun on social media
SEAN ROBINSON
The elusive tiger reportedly spotted Thursday in Puyallup didn't reappear Friday, but a prankster who struck a pose as the online feline unmasked himself.
Two Puyallup-area residents reported seeing an animal that looked like a tiger in the neighborhood of Gay Road. The reports, coupled with 911 calls, drew a crowd of animal-control officers and sheriff's deputies, who searched the area for several hours and found nothing. No new sightings were reported Friday, said Pierce County Sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer.
Following a mini-media swarm, a prankster set up an account called "Puyallup_Tiger" on Twitter, and started sending status updates. The tiger was crossing the road. The tiger was headed for Tiger Mountain.
Friday morning, the tiger revealed himself as Jared Pedroza, a South Sound resident and rabid Mariners fan who saw a chance for some fun.
"Luckily, @JPedroza is paying my phone bill," the tiger tweeted Friday. "So you might hear from me every now and then."
Troyer, who has his own Twitter account, soon fired back.
"Our guys are on the hunt, if they find you get ready for a sleepy time dart. Or a ride home out of Pierce County," he wrote.
