Mother bear killed by deputy sheriff during wildlife harassment in Colorado

A mother bear was shot and killed by a San Juan County sheriff’s deputy in Silverton this week after her stomach was penetrated by a beanbag cartridge used to deter wildlife.

Several people called 911 shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday to report that someone was harassing bear cubs near the 1300 block of Greene Street, the sheriff’s office said Thursday.

When an officer arrived, he found a crowd of people in a narrow alleyway with a mother bear and her two cubs. He ordered the bystanders to leave the area and then threw a beanbag projectile to get the bear off the roof.

As the bear walked down the block with her cubs, the officer fired a second beanbag round to deter her from leaving downtown. The second shot penetrated the bear’s abdomen and killed her, the sheriff’s office said.

Sheriff’s officials contacted the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife, who removed the bear and captured, tagged and relocated the two cubs.

“The officer involved acted appropriately, using common practice methods, and attempted to save this bear’s life and not cause serious harm. This is an extremely unfortunate incident and our entire office is saddened by the outcome,” agency officials said in a statement.