Bear put down after it entered a cabin and attacked a 15-year-old boy in Arizona

Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY
·3 min read

A black bear was put down in Arizona after it entered a cabin and attacked a 15-year-old boy, who was sitting alone and watching TV.

The victim was sitting inside a cabin in Alpine when a bear "entered through an open door and proceeded to swipe at him from behind," the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) said in a news release Friday.

Alpine is approximately 265 miles east of Phoenix.

The animal then "left the cabin and approached other family members before entering the cabin a second time and swiping at the victim’s arm," AZGFD said, adding that the victim "sustained injuries to the face and arm" and was treated at a local hospital.

Wildlife officers who arrived at the scene were "able to quickly locate and dispatch" the male black bear, estimated to be around 3 years old. The animal's carcass will be inspected and tested for disease by the department’s wildlife health specialists, AZGFD said.

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Victim's mother shares harrowing experience

The victim's mother, Carol Edington Hawkins, in a post on Facebook Friday said that her son was watching TV alone at her parent's cabin in Alpine when a bear entered the home and attacked her son, Brigham. Hawkins said that family members stepped in to help the boy when they heard his screams and that "so many miracles worked together to keep Brigham safe."

"Not many kids can say they got in a fight with a bear and came out on top," Hawkins said in the post, which also included a photo of Brigham with injuries on his face from the attack.

16th bear attack in Arizona

Arizona Fish and Game said that the incident marked the 16th attack by a bear on people in the state in 1990, with two fatal bear attacks since then. The most recent fatal incident occurred last year in Prescott, as per the department.

What to do if you find yourself near bears

"Black bears are predatory animals and should always be considered unpredictable and dangerous," the department said, cautioning the public to take necessary precautions and be aware while visiting or living in bear country.

Tips include keeping food secure and inaccessible to bears, keeping all doors and windows of buildings properly shut, moving and hiking in groups and keeping pets on a leash at all times.

The department also advised not to run in case of a bear encounter and instead backing away slowly while maintaining eye contact.

"Make yourself look bigger than you are by flaunting your arms or pulling your shirt/jacket up higher than your head," the department said.

It is also permissible to throw items and yell at the bear and fight back if attacked.

Members of the public are also encouraged to report bear sighting to AZGFD’s 24/7 dispatch center at 623-236-7201, especially if bears are observed displaying unusual behavior, hanging around in human-occupied areas, and/or showing no fear of humans. In case of an emergency, call 911.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.

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

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