Cat dies when misfired artillery shell hits home

updated 5:53 p.m. ET April 12, 2008

ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. - The Army is suspending outdoor weapons testing at a northern New Jersey base after a wayward artillery shell fragment crashed through the roof of a home miles away, fatally injuring a pet cat, the base's commanding officer said Saturday.

Picatinny Arsenal officials will investigate how a 2-pound piece of an artillery round fired from the base ended up crashing through the roof of a Jefferson Township home Friday afternoon, Brig. Gen. William N. Phillips said in a statement.

The Star-Ledger of Newark says the 6-by-4-inch object landed on the bed of a 10-year-old girl. She had left about 20 minutes earlier to go to a sleepover at a friend's house. But the family cat was injured and had to be put to sleep.

The house is about two and a half miles from the Picatinny Arsenal, which was conducting weapons tests at the time.

Phillips said he visited the home Friday night and apologized.

Picatinny is the site of the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center, which conducts research, development and engineering for weapons systems.

More from msnbc.com Superbug slips through food-safety net 'Half-Blood Prince' is strong warm-up for finale Proposed smoking ban angers some in military | Discuss  Cosmic Log: Call it survival of the nicest   Video: Wrestlers try to body slam hunger Unusual hair transplants take root

MORE FROM WEIRD NEWS

Weird news Section Front

$23,148,855,308,184,500 for pack of smokes Naked man in cemetery: I was admiring flowers Python hunts? Florida mulls idea Cops' clue: Panties hanging from pants Oops! Plane doing loops hits car Bride's bouquet causes plane crash in Italy Train-mooning draws smaller, calmer crowd ‘Haunted’ Milwaukee hotel scares MLB teams Tot plays hide-and-seek much too well It's not slang! Nev. court permits ‘HOE’ license Weird news Section Front   Add Weird news headlines to your news reader: