A brown bear attacked a 9-year-old boy and an adult male Tuesday while they were hunting in Alaska, according to police.
The man shot and killed the bear as it attacked the 9-year-old, according to a news release from the Alaska State Troopers. The 9-year-old had serious injuries as a result of the attack, while the man suffered minor injuries.
A 9-year-old boy who was seriously injured in a bear attack while hunting with a relative in Alaska on Tuesday was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment. https://t.co/2s9eySY5fS
— KIRO 7 (@KIRO7Seattle) September 22, 2022
Both the man and 9-year-0ld boy were taken to the hospital, according to police.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the 9-year-old is “in fair condition and currently receiving medical care,” Alaska’s News Source reported.
A bear in the same area was previously reported to state officials for killing dozens of residents’ turkeys and chickens, but after examining the corpse of the bear who attacked the hunters, authorities concluded it was not the same animal that had been terrorizing the local poultry, the outlet continued. (RELATED: Parents Stab, Shoot At Bear After Wild Beast Charges Through Their Home)
“There was no evidence to suggest that this bear was involved in the raids on chicken coops reported last week in the Butte,” Todd Rinaldi, Regional Management Coordinator for the Department of Fish and Game said, according to Alaska’s News Source.
Police and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game are continuing to investigate the attack.