Bear attacks 7-year-old boy in New York backyard

Bear shot, killed after attacking child in Westchester County

A child in New York was attacked on Monday by a bear, which was euthanized after the attack, the North Castle Police Department said in a press release.

The child was attacked at around 11:15 a.m. in his backyard in Westchester, New York, which is about 45 minutes outside of New York City. Multiple agencies responded to the call, including animal control, police said. A neighbor who heard screaming managed to take a photo of the bear near a playset in the backyard, CBS New York reported.

When first responders arrived on the scene, the bear remained a threat to them and residents in the area, so it was euthanized, police said.

The child was attended to by EMS workers at the scene and then taken to a hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Officials are seen approaching the Westchester residence where a 7-year-old boy was attacked by a bear on August 21, 2023. CBS New York

Officials from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation arrived after the bear had been euthanized. The department has the bear's body in its custody and will coordinate with the Westchester County Department of Health to test it for rabies.

A North Castle police officer killed the bear with a long gun, CBS New York reported.

North Castle Police Chief Peter Simonsen gave credit to the boy's parents, who were inside the home and immediately took action,

"That's extremely brave. That's what parents do, though. That's what good parents do," Simonsen said to CBS New York's Tony Aiello.

Caitlin O'Kane

Caitlin O'Kane is a New York City journalist who works on the CBS News social media team as a eenior manager of content and production. She writes about a variety of topics and produces "The Uplift," CBS News' streaming show that focuses on good news.