Bear put down after roaming Prescott Valley neighborhood
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - A bear that escaped and roamed a Prescott Valley neighborhood had to be put down, officials said.
Police say the bear was spotted on May 27 near Robert's Marketplace right off SR 89A and Viewpoint Drive.
Michael Rose Bond shared a video he took of the bear on Monday morning. He and his wife saw it running through the back lot of the gas station.
The bear then made its way through an area where new homes are under construction and into people's yards.
"I thought it was kind of weird, a bear being that inland, compared to, even though we live closer to the Mingus Mountains, it was pretty far inland compared to what they usually are," Bond said. "As I shot the last video of it going up the driveway, and it looked back at me, I went to tell her to take off, I was like, OK cool. I didn't want to bother the bear anymore. We saw the police behind us."
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Arizona Game and Fish confirms the bear was taken into custody.
"Juvenile Black Bear is now in the custody of Arizona Game and Fish in Granville East. All is safe. OK to resume normal activity," the department said.
The department explained that the bear escaped after chewing through a metal transport carrier while it was being relocated to a remote area.
The bear escaped, running from one neighborhood to another. With no opportunity to dart the bear, wildlife officers made the decision to kill the animal.
Police say if you see a bear in the wild, do not approach it.
Recently, a teen boy was attacked while inside his Alpine, Arizona home by a bear. He survived.
