Beginning the final weekend of May, many Murfreesboro residents spotted a zebra roaming through town.

“Ed” the runaway zebra became the biggest news in town, crossing highways and making appearances throughout the city, on social media feeds and even on the TV news.

Evidently, the beautiful animal, who belongs to a local property owner, managed to exit his confines and took a self-guided tour of the area, causing plenty of surprised double takes, backing up traffic on I-24 and rapidly becoming a local celebrity with the type of social media clout many influencers spend years trying to build.

The people are divided: Do we keep Ed free? Or bring Ed home?

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For the zebra’s safety and your own, if you spot “Ed” the zebra, please do not chase it. If you see him out and about, please call the Sheriff’s Office at 615-898-7770 to report the location.

Some Zebra Facts:

— They generally are not considered friendly to humans. They are wild animals with a natural inclination to be aggressive.

— Zebras have been known to bite and kick, even to the point of injuring or killing other animals, including lions. They are also known to injure zookeepers more often than other zoo animals.

— Zebras have a strong tendency to avoid humans.

Let’s all do our part to ensure that this beautiful creature is returned home safely.

A look at some of the local zebra sightings: