Bear euthanized after entering cabin and attacking 15-year-old boy in Arizona

In Arizona, a black bear was killed after entering a cabin and attacking a 15-year-old boy who was sitting alone watching television.

The victim was sitting in a cabin in Alpine when a bear “entered through an open door and struck him from behind,” the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) said in a news release Friday.

Alpine is located about 265 miles east of Phoenix.

The animal then “left the cabin and approached other family members before entering the cabin a second time and striking the victim’s arm,” according to the AZGFD. The victim “suffered injuries to his face and arm” and was treated at a local hospital.

Rangers arriving on the scene were able to “quickly locate and kill” the male black bear, estimated to be about three years old. The animal’s carcass will be examined by the department’s wildlife health specialists and tested for disease, the AZGFD said.

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Mother of a victim reports shocking experience

The victim’s mother, Carol Edington Hawkins, wrote in a Facebook post Friday that her son was watching television alone at her parents’ cabin in Alpine when a bear entered the house and attacked her son, Brigham. Hawkins said family members stepped in to help the boy when they heard his cries and that “so many miracles worked together to protect Brigham.”

“Not many kids can say they emerged victorious in a fight with a bear,” Hawkins said in the post, which also included a photo of Brigham with facial injuries from the attack.

16. Bear attack in Arizona

Arizona Fish and Game said the incident was the 16th bear attack on humans in the state since 1990, and there have been two fatal bear attacks since then. The most recent fatal incident occurred in Prescott last year, according to the agency.

What to do if you are near bears?

“Black bears are predators and should always be considered unpredictable and dangerous,” the agency said, urging the public to take necessary precautions and be vigilant when visiting or living in bear areas.

Tips include keeping food safe and out of bear reach, keeping all building doors and windows tightly closed, staying in groups when hiking and moving around, and keeping pets on a leash at all times.

The department also advised that if you encounter a bear, you should not run away but rather back away slowly while maintaining eye contact.

“Make yourself appear larger than you are by showing off your arms or pulling your shirt/jacket higher than your head,” the department said.

It is also permissible to throw objects at the bear, shout at it and defend yourself in the event of an attack.

The public is also encouraged to report bear sightings to the AZGFD’s 24-hour dispatch center at 623-236-7201, especially if bears exhibit unusual behavior, are in human-occupied areas, and/or show no fear of humans. In an emergency, call 911.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Black bear killed after attacking 15-year-old boy at Alpine cabin