Rutherford County had an unusual traffic update this week. It wasn’t a lane closure or weather advisory—just a zebra on the run. The black-and-white blur, later nicknamed Ed, was seen darting across highways and neighborhoods, leaving drivers stunned and the internet amused.
The first sightings came in near Interstate 24, just outside of Nashville. Drivers posted videos of the striped runner's surprisingly quick maneuvers through traffic. It didn’t take long before local authorities confirmed what many thought was a prank: a real zebra had escaped and was making its way through Tennessee like it had somewhere important to be.
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Officials from the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office quickly stepped in. They released a statement explaining that Ed’s owner had only just acquired the animal on Friday night. While the exact circumstances of Ed’s escape remained unclear, the urgency behind the recovery effort picked up speed.
Multiple professional tracking teams joined the hunt, and even a K-9 unit was scheduled to assist, turning the search into a full-blown mission. In spite of these measures, Ed continued to slip away, evading capture with grace—and apparently, purpose.
Leonard von Bibra / Unsplash | No one knows exactly where Ed planned to go, but his unexpected sprint through Tennessee offered a break from the ordinary.
As search efforts ramped up, so did the internet buzz. Across social platforms, memes poured in. Ed became a symbol of unexpected freedom for the locals, who posted photoshopped pictures of the zebra around local landmarks, drive-thrus, and gas stations. Some joked that Ed was just trying to beat the Tennessee heat. Others called him a legend in stripes.
While the chase continued, residents remained alert, snapping pictures and sharing updates. With every new sighting, Ed’s story spread further, pulling more attention from outside the state.
No one knows exactly where Ed planned to go, but his unexpected sprint through Tennessee offered a break from the ordinary. His striped dash became a shared moment of surprise, laughter, and curiosity—and it’s clear, Ed wasn’t ready to be caught just yet.