by Tiffany Lane LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Seven tigers were seized from a private residence in Pahrump on Wednesday morning who claims to have rescued six of the tigers from Joe Exotic the infamous figure from the "Tiger King" series said he loves his animals and believes he has the right to keep them at his home despite allegations from authorities Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill said the investigation into Mitchell began several months ago Mitchell was being evicted from the property and the owner of the property was not being allowed onto the property to inspect," McGill said "We have known for several years he has had big cats on his property this has been in violation because he had no permits for those cats." Sheriff McGill added that the community was aware of Mitchell's tigers "We have received information over the years that he has been seen walking the tigers loose around the property off the property in the desert," McGill said "There have been social media posts from him with people interacting with the cats In an exclusive jailhouse interview with News 3 following his arrest "The animals did not deserve to be snatched up knocked out with drugs shipped across the country when they were happy and content where they had lived for more than 10 years." He explained that his tigers serve as his emotional support animals "I'm a 100 percent disabled veteran with PTSD The VA and my doctors have approved the tigers to work as support animals." provided a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs supporting the claim that the tigers were prescribed as emotional support animals the sheriff's office reported concerns about the animals' welfare noting issues such as water dishes with algae and some animals appearing underweight "They have 5-gallon containers for water and they're watered every day I also had a truck full of food to feed them this morning The tigers are being relocated to an out-of-state sanctuary while the investigation continues The sheriff's office indicated that additional charges could be filed as the investigation progresses Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLAS VEGAS (FOX5) - Deputies in Nye County seized seven tigers from a home in Pahrump Wednesday morning The Nye County Sheriff’s Office said it assisted code enforcement and animal services crews with the seizure The seizure took place on private property Deputies issued a search warrant for the man they say has owned the tigers for the last seven years has been arrested for resisting an officer at the property during the operation The sheriff’s office said Mitchell violated county ordinances and the special condition permit Deputies spent hours working with a specialized refuge to remove the tigers humanely from the cages where they resided for years Sheriff Joe McGill told FOX5 in an interview that Mitchell cooperated at first but then struggled with a deputy He was ultimately taken to the ground and arrested McGill said there was never any intention to arrest Mitchell And then he struggled with the deputy,” McGill explained McGill said Mitchell made threatening remarks as deputies were arriving which is why they had to work quickly to complete the operation safely Mitchell told deputies he would release the animals if deputies came after him McGill added that the tigers were in large fenced enclosures with locks on them FOX5 spoke to someone claiming to be the property owner and said Mitchell was renting The sheriff said they are in the process of tranquilizing the tigers “They’re going to have to sedate each of the cats so that they can be loaded into the crates or kennels FOX5 cameras captured another person being detained on the property The sheriff’s office said the woman is Mitchell’s partner or possess an animal classified as special conditions within Nye County unless that person or other legal entity holds a permit or is exempt from holding a permit.” LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — The man arrested in connection with the seizure of several tigers from a property in Pahrump Nevada has been released from jail as formal charges still appear to be pending The Nye County Detention Center confirmed Karl Mitchell posted bail and was released from custody Wednesday night Deputies arrested Mitchell on Wednesday for allegedly resisting an officer while the Nye County Sheriff's Office assisted code enforcement and animal services with seizing seven tigers from the property Sheriff Joe McGill alleged that Mitchell did not have a permit to keep the exotic animals and was evicted by the property owner Speaking to News 3 from jail Mitchell said the tigers were his emotional support animals and argued that he has taken good care of them the figure made famous in the Netflix docuseries "Tiger King." According to a statement from Joe Exotic on his X account he says the tigers that were confiscated did not come from him "I'm a 100 percent disabled veteran with PTSD," he told News 3 "The [Department of Veterans Affairs] and my doctors have approved the tigers to work as support animals." An administrative assistant with Pahrump Justice Court said Mitchell could make a court appearance as soon as Thursday but official charges were not filed as of the morning According to a declaration of probable cause and arrest deputies booked Mitchell for resisting a public officer and possession of a gun by a prohibited person Mitchell accompanied deputies to point out where the tigers were kept When a deputy asked for the keys to the tiger cages he refused and was ordered to return to an armored vehicle The sheriff's office alleged he refused repeated orders to move and tried to pull away from a deputy's grasp on his arm as he resisted An officer also found a handgun in the bedroom Mitchell was convicted of felony theft last year and is prohibited from having a gun News 3 has reached out to the Nye County District Attorney's Office for comment on what formal charges could be filed Nye County Commission Chair Ron Boskovich said Thursday the tigers would be taken to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Seven tigers were seized at a private home in Pahrump on Wednesday morning Karl Mitchell is behind bars for resisting arrest during the encounter Mitchell is the owner of Big Cats Entertainment He says six of the seven tigers seized Wednesday were from Joe Exotic who many know from the popular show Tiger King Mitchell says he loves his animals and says he has the right to keep them at his home WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH KARL MITCHELL ON THE NEWS 3 YOUTUBE PAGE Mitchell recorded part of his interaction with authorities on his phone when they came to seize his seven tigers "Those animals were not in danger or any jeopardy The community was not in any danger," Mitchell told News 3 in a jailhouse interview just hours after being arrested Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill says the investigation started several months ago MORE ON NEWS 3 | Seven Tigers seized from Pahrump home, owner claims they are emotional support animals and the owner of the property was not being allowed onto the property to inspect," said McGill provided a cell phone video she shot when she went to speak with the animals while authorities Abraham?" she said to one of the tigers in the video Sheriff McGill says Mitchell’s tigers are not a secret to the community we have received information over the years that he has been seen walking the Tigers loose around the property there have been social media posts from him with people interacting with the cats which is also in violation," said McGill knocked out with drugs shipped across the country when they were happy and content where they had lived for more than 10 years," said Mitchell who was not yet booked when he spoke with News 3 He says there’s a reason he doesn’t have a permit "My tigers are my emotional support animals," said Mitchell "I'm a 100 percent disabled veteran with ptsd Griffiths showed a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs that talked about the tigers being prescribed as emotional support animals The animals are now being taken to an out-of-state sanctuary The sheriff’s office says animal services could add charges following its investigation "Things like there were water dishes with no water for the Animals water dishes that had algae growing in the dishes," said McGill "One or two of the animals were noted to be visibly "They have 5-gallon containers for water and they’re watered every day they show up at 6 am," said Mitchell "I also had a truck full of food to feed them this morning NYE COUNTY (KTNV) — Authorities in Nye County are helping to seize seven tigers in Pahrump a popular associate of Tiger King Joe Exotic Police say Mitchell didn't have the necessary permits and was even arrested for resisting an officer during the process VIDEO: Channel 13's Joe Moeller at the scene while crews seized tigers from property in Pahrump Nye County requires individuals with wild or exotic animals to have a permit from the sheriff The Sheriff's Office served its search warrant on Wednesday morning and detained Mitchell and the seven tigers VIDEO: Watch the full interview with Nye County Sheriff on the seven tigers seized from a man in Pahrump Karl lived across the street from him he had lions and tigers," said Saxon Channel 13 was there as crews were loading the tigers into cages and onto trucks Mitchell told Channel 13 he didn't need permits VIDEO: Karl Mitchell talks to Darcy Spears about his 'emotional support' tigers told our Darcy Spears at the time that the cast were emotional support animals and he didn't need permits "If I'm doing a movie job or a stage show with a magician But for me as a private person with my personal animals WATCH: KPVM TV 25's interview with Karl Mitchell and fiancé Catherine Griffiths the county alleged he was illegally exhibiting animals citing photos of celebrities with the cats but he says those were photos with friends "Regardless of the situation of having the animals they are required to be permitted and you are required to have permits for the property," said Sheriff Joe McGill crews wearing sweatshirts with TCWR could be seen It appears that crews could be the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas The sheriff says the health of the cats was being evaluated and they contacted the right rescue to help with their care The cats could be surrendered back to Mitchell they could be surrendered to another person with the proper permits or they could be surrendered to the sanctuary that is currently taking care of the tigers Report a typo Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - The owner of several tigers seized from a Pahrump property Wednesday previously claimed they were “service animals,” court documents obtained by FOX5 reveal who was arrested for resisting officers attempting to confiscate the animals previously described his tigers as “service animals” in a 2015 emergency injunction against Nye County It was his effort to stop Nye County from removing the animals because of a lack of proper permits stating he did not have the proper special use permits to house an exotic animal or other legal entity holds a permit or is exempt from holding a permit...” Sheriff Joe McGill also confirmed that Wednesday’s seizure was related to Mitchell’s lack of permits Mitchell claimed the tigers provided him emotional support for his PTSD which stemmed from his military service in the Vietnam War “Because of the unknown complaint against him and his animals and defamed of his rightful opportunities to keep Mitchell also said he attempted to get a permit for the animals but was denied after deputies learned the tigers were being exhibited without a proper USDA license County commissioners granted Mitchell a Special Conditions Animal Permit in 2019 after he was initially denied the permit would restrict Mitchell from exhibiting the tigers or transporting them for any reason outside of an emergency or medical care Mitchell would sue Nye County in 2020 over the permit battle Mitchell claims the county’s interference caused “extreme emotional distress” over the alleged threat against “what the County has recognized as emotional support animals.” A Nye County Judge would also dismiss Mitchell’s case in 2023 stating he was still not in compliance with county codes regarding exotic animals and a lack of evidence of discrimination Mitchell was in custody but was later released Wednesday night he has not faced any formal charges in the seizure Pahrump, an unincorporated town in Southern Nye County, was named the worst place to live in Nevada in a study published by 24/7 Wall St. The study ranked the worst place to live in every state based on 22 factors including poverty rates deaths because of substance abuse disorders and median household income named Pahrump as Nevada's worst town and some pros to living in Pahrump as well The factors included how many residents experience poverty lack of access to affordable housing and rates of substance abuse disorders and crime and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2.1 percentage points above the statewide average rate of 12.5 percent Pahrump also experiences 32.4 deaths per 100,000 residents because of substance abuse disorders compared to 27.4 deaths per 100,000 throughout Nevada Pahrump's median household income is $53,743 Are there good things about Pahrump, Nevada?Sure! Every community has its plusses and minuses. Travel Nevada the state agency that promotes tourism to every corner of the Silver State "Although it’s only an hour’s drive from Las Vegas this small city on the southern edge of Nye County is just far enough from the hustle and bustle to feel like a world unto itself "All within range of Pahrump’s amenity-packed casinos hotels and palatial RV resorts (are) the Lower 48’s largest most infamous national park -- the hottest and driest place on the continent -- the world’s rarest fish and the planet’s oldest trees; rugged no-BS biker bars; elegant award-winning wineries and more." Here are the worst places to live in every state with their poverty rates: Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Karl Mitchell, the owner of seven tigers seized in Pahrump spoke with FOX5 as he was released from jail late Wednesday FOX5 was inside the Nye County Detention Center where Mitchell’s first embrace with his fiancé Catherine Grifiths was captured deputies in Nye County seized seven tigers from their home in Pahrump The Nye County Sheriff’s Office said code enforcement and animal service crews responded to the private property Mitchell was arrested for resisting an officer Deputies say the tigers will be taken to an animal sanctuary located in Arkansas Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill said the cats had to be sedated so they could be loaded into crates before being taken to a vet for evaluation FIRST ON FOX5: Nye County deputies seize 7 tigers from home in Pahrump FOX5’s Victoria Saha and photojournalist Chase Duckworth spoke to Mitchell as soon as he was released: Saha: Why do you think it got to this point Karl Mitchell: It got this way because it’s real simple and all those people have made it so that people like me who have animals have a hard way to go Saha: We were told that you did not have the proper permits Mitchell: My reaction to that is I do have the proper permits That letter says that I have the authority to have the animals The couple expressed they are not ready to be home without their babies Mitchell’s fiancée Catherine Grifiths recounted the moments the tigers were taken petting Abraham because they’re going to give them the ketamine and the ketamine is really dangerous.. Grifiths revealed to FOX5 Mitchell has PTSD and the tigers are his emotional support animals. “He was a Vietnam vet. He has a Purple Heart. He took a bullet in a helicopter delivering medical... when you have emotional support, a dog or something, you don’t have to have the dog licensing. It’s the same with the Tigers,” Grifiths contended. Grifiths added Mitchell is well-known in the tiger world and has been for decades. “Back from, like, the Michael Jackson video of Billie Jean, where there’s a little cub that was Carl’s... He lived with Mike Tyson... remember Mike had a tiger, that was all through Carl,” Grifiths said. Sheriff McGill shared with FOX5 that Wednesday’s seizure followed “reports of [Mitchell] out walking the cats loose in the desert around his property.” Nye County Code states the following about owning exotic animals: It is unlawful for any person, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity to import, transfer, sell, purchase, or possess an animal classified as special conditions within Nye County unless that person, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity holds a permit or is exempt from holding a permit under this chapter President Donald Trump makes a major sports announcement. The announcement comes amid reports Washington, D.C. will host the 2027 NFL Draft. WATCHNevada State Police investigate fatal crash on State Route 160 in Pahrumpby Jenelle Vannoy Las Vegas (KSNV) — The Nevada State Police Highway Patrol Division is investigating a fatal crash on Tuesday afternoon on State Route 160 near Rainbow Avenue in Pahrump NSP responded to the scene at approximately 4:10 p.m According to the preliminary investigation a white 2001 Toyota Tacoma was traveling southbound when it veered left for unknown reasons The vehicle crossed both the left turn travel lane and centerline entering the northbound lanes when it collided with a gray 2023 Dodge Ram pickup that was heading northbound the driver of the Dodge attempted to steer right to avoid the collision but was unsuccessful The impact caused the Toyota to rotate counterclockwise and come to rest on its wheels in the desert area According to NSP the driver of the Toyota succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene The identity of the deceased will be released by the Coroner's Office following notification of next of kin The investigation is being conducted by the Nevada State Police Highway Patrol - Traffic Homicide Unit Nevada State Police Highway Patrol Southern Command has investigated 14 fatal crashes resulting in 14 fatalities so far in 2025 and further updates will be provided as more information becomes available Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Karl Mitchell is now trying to figure out how he can get back several tigers seized from his property Wednesday Nye County Sheriff’s Office deputies served Mitchell a search warrant and seized the animals Mitchell would be arrested for resisting an officer Detention Center when Mitchell was released and reunited with his fiancée Catherine Griffiths Griffiths shared video with FOX5 of deputies arriving at their home before the seizure Mitchell shared that he had to comfort Griffiths as she became emotional about the tigers being sedated “She has epilepsy and I was trying to keep her from going into an epileptic seizure,” Mitchell said Griffiths also pointed out a mark on Mitchell’s head claiming it was a result of being slammed down by deputies Victoria Saha: Karl I know it’s been a long day I can see how much you love your animals why do you think it got to this situation Mitchell: It got this way because it’s real simple.. The animal rights people in this country.. Carol Baskin and all those types of people.. made it so that people like me who have animals have a hard way to go Mitchell: Because I am smart enough in this world to not do anything wrong I have an emotional support animal I have from the VA I went to Vietnam for this f****** country and they turn around and do this The couple shared a 2024 letter from Mitchell’s VA doctor which reads: “he had been prescribed an emotional support animal Nye County tells FOX5 Mitchell was required to have an active Conditional Use Permit and an active Title 6 permit for “Special Conditions Animals.” We also asked Nye County if Mitchell had permits identifying the tigers as emotional support or service animals a service animal or an emotional support animal still would not supersede the county code RELATED: Pahrump man claimed tigers were service animals, court documents reveal Saha: Are you saying that all seven of the tigers are your emotional support animals While Mitchell was at the detention center his fiancée Griffiths was also put in handcuffs after she said she became upset and began recording officials giving one of the tigers ketamine “These people have no f****** compassion,” Mitchell said Sheriff Joe McGill told FOX5 there were reports of Mitchell threatening to release the tigers if officials came after him but they were not about the tigers,” Mitchell said Saha: So you never made threats to release the tigers if they came after you or them I wouldn’t want to do something with them when these f***** would shoot them As the tigers make their way to an Arkansas sanctuary Mitchell says he will fight to get them back FOX5 spoke to Mitchell on the phone Thursday and he emphasized how hard it was to be back home without his tigers Mitchell is currently not facing any charges related to the tigers A vet with Nye County said the tigers seemed to be in good condition there were concerns about their living condition the tigers always had water and were well-fed READ MORE: Wildlife rescue sheds light on what’s next for tigers seized from Pahrump PAHRUMP (KTNV) — UPDATE 3/20/24 2:41 p.m.: Channel 13 has received an update from state police detailing the events that caused the fatal crash Their investigation into the crash shows that a Toyota Tacoma driver traveling southbound on State Route 160 suddenly traveled left and hit a Dodge Ram traveling northbound The driver of the Tacoma was pronounced dead on the scene The Nevada State Police Highway Patrol Southern Command has investigated 14 fatal crashes resulting in 14 fatalities Pahrump Valley Highway is closed down on Tuesday afternoon after Nevada State Police say two pickup trucks collided state police say they have the intersection of Pahrump Valley Highway (state Route 160) and Rainbow Avenue shut down Troopers are re-routing traffic through side streets in that area Motorists and members of the public are asked to avoid the area and use an alternate route Both SR-160 and Rainbow Avenue are expected to be closed "for an undetermined time due to investigation," a Nevada State Police spokesperson wrote One adult male was pronounced dead at the scene Another man was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries "Further information will be provided following the preliminary investigation," police said NV (KSNV) — Nye County officials reported that voters in Pahrump are experiencing wait times of more than three hours at the Bob Ruud Community Center This update was provided approximately an hour ago Officials noted that the high volume of same-day voter registrations has exceeded expectations Results for Nevada will not be released until every polling location in the state has closed For real-time results, click here. Pahrump, Nevada, has been named Zillow’s top retirement destination in the U.S. ranking above all other cities based on housing trends and retiree demographics — was absent from other major Zillow rankings for 2024 Here’s why Pahrump took the top spot and how it compares nationally: A warm climate and the fact that more than one-third of its residents are 65 or older make Pahrump an ideal community for retirees Zillow defined retirement towns as areas where at least 33% of the population is over 65 with no relatives or children living with them other than a spouse Not everyone agrees: 24/7 Wall Street had an entirely different take on Pahrump What's great about Pahrump, Nevada?Travel Nevada had this to say:"Although it’s only an hour’s drive from Las Vegas ..."All within range of Pahrump’s amenity-packed casinos What is the most popular city in the US for 2024 according to Zillow?For the second consecutive year The Northeast dominated among Zillow's users with many favoring smaller communities beyond the suburbs but still within commuting distance of major metros Hybrid work schedules likely played a role in the trend Only one West Coast city made it on the list Cities had to have a population of at least 100,000 to qualify A study that ranked the worst place to live in every state based on 22 factors named Pahrump say Pahrump is the worst city in Nevada?The factors included how many residents experience poverty The worst cities in every state according to 24/7 Wall St.Here are the worst places to live in every state with their poverty rates: (FOX5) - Nevada State Police are investigating a deadly crash in Pahrump Tuesday afternoon The crash occurred at the intersection of State Route 160 and Rainbow Road Police add that at least one person died in the crash though further details were not immediately available #TrafficAlert The Intersection of State Route 160 and Rainbow Rd.,in Pahrump, Nevada is closed in both directions, due to a fatal crash. SR160 both northbound and southbound travel lanes will be closed for an undetermined time for investigation. Traffic is being re-routed through… pic.twitter.com/aPTF7mn7cV Both north and southbound lanes in the area have been closed in both directions for several hours Traffic is being rerouted through side streets in the area #TrafficAlert The Intersection of State Route 160 and Rainbow Rd.,in Pahrump, Nevada is closed in both directions, due to a fatal crash. SR160 both northbound and southbound travel lanes will be closed for an undetermined time for investigation. Traffic is being re-routed through… pic.twitter.com/aPTF7mn7cV The incident occurred on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at approximately 5:20 p.m. at Irene Street and Our Road, about 69 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Preliminary investigations revealed that a red 2023 TaoTao off-road motorcycle was traveling westbound on Irene Street and attempted to turn left onto Our Road. A white 2002 Chevrolet Suburban, also traveling westbound on Irene Street, struck the motorcycle's rear, ejecting the rider. The motorcycle reportedly had no visible headlight or tail light during the crash. The rider, a juvenile, was transported to a local hospital for injuries sustained in the crash. The juvenile died from those injuries and was pronounced dead on Nov. 14. The Nevada State Police Highway Patrol's Traffic Homicide Unit is conducting the investigation. As of 2024, the Nevada State Police Highway Patrol Southern Command has investigated 66 fatal crashes resulting in 74 fatalities. The data for 2024 is preliminary and may be updated based on final investigations and coroner reports, according to officials. President Donald Trump holds a cabinet meeting at the White House. WATCH LIVENevada's exotic animal laws questioned after tiger seizure and arrest in Pahrumpby KSNV Staff Nevada is one of three states without an outright ban on the private ownership of exotic animals and state law limits contact with privately owned wildlife The Nye County Sheriff noted that they have received reports over the years of tigers roaming the property with social media posts showing people interacting with the animals Nevada state law adheres to the Americans with Disabilities Act which defines service animals as dogs or miniature horses a permit is required to keep a wild animal an incident involving chimpanzees in the northwest part of town resulted in one being shot and killed and another tranquilized after escaping Nye County Sheriff's deputies and animal control seized 15 exotic animals from a Pahrump home Karl Mitchell had previously expressed concerns about the care of those animals Nevada’s fall festival and rodeo were in full swing on a recent weekend The amusement park rides swung fest-goers around Families played carnival games — including one basketball challenge that advertised “cheating allowed.” Rodeo fans in the stands donned a mix of ball caps and cowboy hats sneakers and work shoes and the occasional bedazzled belt buckle dust kicked up from the field where the festival was held and smoke and the aroma of fried foods wafted from vendors’ stands A team of Morning Edition journalists visited the festival as part of NPR’s “We, The Voters” series highlighting the states that could determine the 2024 presidential election We checked out the fair and rodeo to talk to voters about what’s on their minds ahead of the election is as politically red as the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos dust you can add to the corn on the cob for 50 cents extra Many of the folks we spoke to say they’ll be casting their ballots for former President Donald Trump We saw countless Make America Great Again hats a tent handing out Trump yard signs — and only one Harris-Walz camo hat “I grew up here and I just wanted people to know who I was voting for,” said Mary Beth Powell “And I kind of hope that it empowers some other people to maybe vote that way Here’s what else we saw as we listened to voters tell us what matters to them in this election: PAHRUMP (KTNV) — After more than two years Daniel Core was last seen in August 2022 riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle near Homestead Road and Gamebird Road in Pahrump His family reported him missing in September 2022 While the Nye County Sheriff's Office said they conducted a lengthy investigation skeletal human remains were found in the desert outside of Pahrump After the Clark County coroner and medical examiner's office said they couldn't determine who the remains belonged to That is a Texas lab that uses Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to build a genealogical profile and can be used to develop new leads.Using information provided by Othram detectives were able to confirm the remains belonged to Core The Nye County Sheriff's Office says they are continuing to investigate Core's disappearance and death as a potential homicide Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff's office at (775) 751-7000 or to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or online at crimestoppersofnv.com Othram has helped investigators across southern Nevada with multiple cases