Two people were killed after a camel escaped from its zoo enclosure and went on a rampage.

Officers were dispatched to the shocking incident on Thursday after receiving reports that a camel had escaped and was attacking visitors at a petting zoo in Tennessee, the United States.

According to an Obion County Sheriff’s Office statement, several agencies arrived to try to control the situation by forcing people to leave the area, with two people requiring first aid after being found unconscious. Bobby Matheny, 42, and Tommy Gunn, 67, were both found unconscious.

They had to come to a halt, however, when the camel began launching itself at a sheriff’s car.

It then charged at the officers who were tending to the victims, according to the Daily Star.

The camel was then quickly put down for everyone’s “safety” at Shirley Farms in Obion.

Sadly, the two men were pronounced dead at the scene after being “stomped” to death by the humped mammal.

According to a witness, Mr Matheny and Mr Gunn were attempting to capture the camel when the animal “cornered” them and launched a fatal attack, throwing them to the ground.

Autumn Staggs, an ex-colleague of Mr Matheny, wrote on Facebook: “Five years of knowing you, five years of always counting on you, five years of you never failing to be a good coworker and friend, but this hurts man.”

After the attack, a camel expert warned that the animals have “enough strength to crush arms and legs as well as your neck” because they can kick forward as well as backwards, unlike most animals.

He also advised that if in danger, camels can do a “combination of all those things while kneeling forward to crush you.”