A water buffalo tore through a small southwestern Chinese town in a mad rampage, chasing down pedestrians and injuring at least 14 bystanders.

In surveillance video footage released by state media, the water buffalo is seen wandering in the center of town in Jingyan County located in China's Sichuan province.

In one shot, the buffalo is shown setting its sights on resident Liang Cuirong who was riding past on her bicycle. The animal chased Liang, knocked her off the bike and trampled her repeatedly.

A water buffalo tore through a small southwestern Chinese town in a mad rampage, chasing down pedestrians and injuring at least 14 bystanders. CCTV

The buffalo also reportedly chased to another resident before damaging cars and chasing down more passerby's.

It finally took four police officers and 10 rounds to take down the buffalo and end the 40 minute long bovine panic.

"We took aim at its head," Huang Tao, one of the police officers who brought down the buffalo, told state media. "Shot it until it fell down."

Water buffalos are used in the region to till soil and act as general beast of burden in the rural farming communities on the outskirts of town.

It remains unknown how this particular beast ended up in the middle of Jingyan but authorities are investigating.