Several employees of the Captains Galley’s restaurant in China Grove, N.C. apparently slaughtered a goat in the fish restaurant after hours, and local health officials believe that may have been the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has killed an 86-year-old woman and sickened 21.

This is, yet again, an uncomfortable reminder that E. coli O157:H7 can be found in all ruminants, not just grain-fed, factory-farmed cattle. The fall 2006 outbreak linked to bagged spinach in California was traced to nearby grass-fed beef cattle.

China Grove resident Caleb Steedley was quoted as saying, "It’s kind of ridiculous and far-fetched that they would slaughter a goat here — in a fish place."

Resident Tyler Halo was quoted as saying, "We used to eat here about 2-3 times a week. But now we found out there was a goat slaughtered, there ain’t no way they are getting our business back."