The Yavapai County Sheriff said responders expressed “shock and disbelief” at what they found.
Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office
Stephen Jackson was killed by a black bear while sitting in a chair near his campground in Prescott, Arizona.
A 66-year-old Tucson man was reportedly building a cabin in a remote wooded area called Groom Creek, about 160 miles north of Phoenix, when neighbors heard him scream. ABC News. Authorities said neighbors tried to scare the animals away by honking and screaming, but failed, the newspaper reported.
Yavapai County Sheriff David Rose said, “They tried to get the bear to stop attacking, but the horn went off and they were doing something else.” NBC News. “We couldn’t stop the attack.”
At a press conference, Rose said the bear had dragged Jackson about 75 yards to the top of the embankment and was “trying to swallow him.”
the victim was already dead When someone grabs a rifle and shoots a bear, killing it.
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Darren Tucker, site supervisor for the Arizona Game and Fish Service, said the incident was “extremely unusual.”
“This attack appears to be predatory in nature,” Tucker said. ABC News. ”[It’s] Not standard. ”
Wildlife officials said they weren’t sure what caused it. fox news.
Tucker said the bear appeared healthy and showed no signs of illness.
Tucker told NBC News that an autopsy will be performed on the animal.
Tucker said bear attacks often involve “some association with food.”
“There was nothing clear about why this happened,” he said. Investigation is in progress.
Wildlife officials said there had been no previous reports of dangerous bear outbreaks in the area, and that the bears had died, so no threat remained.
The sheriff’s office advised people not to shoot bears “unless there is an imminent threat.” Otherwise it’s a crime.
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Rose called the incident unique and tragic, citing the “shock and disbelief” of what responders had discovered.
He said Jackson was “well-liked” within his close community.
“My deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Jackson,” Rose said in a statement to Fox News. “Words cannot express how sad this situation is and all I can say is our prayers are with you all.”
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