Body camera footage released of Colorado black bear charging at deputy in Eagle County
New video released this week shows a tense encounter in Colorado in which a sheriff's deputy was forced to shoot and kill a charging mother black bear. It happened outside the River Run apartment complex in Eagle-Vail in late August.
Bear activity is on the rise in many parts of Colorado and wildlife officials say Eagle County is one of the areas with the most activity. Hungry bears are showing up where people live, work and play.
The Eagle County Sheriff's Office says they've had a significant increase in bear-related calls this year. From July through Aug. 18, dispatchers logged 290 calls involving bears. Colorado Parks and Wildlife also received another 81 reports in the county during that time. Forty-seven of those involved property damage.
There have been several reports of bears getting into homes and businesses through open doors and windows.
Wildlife officials say bears are especially active right now as they prepare for winter. They're looking for calories -- and this year's drought is making that search even harder. With less natural food available at higher elevations, bears are moving into neighborhoods looking for an easy meal.
In the Aug. 24 encounter, body camera footage of the incident that was released by the Eagle County Sheriff's Office shows what was happening at the apartment complex before the bear charged.
Deputies first ordered people in the area to disperse and go inside. They then tried to deter the bear using less-lethal shotgun ammunition. But when the bear charged at a deputy, authorities said the situation escalated quickly.
The deputy fired multiple shots, killing the bear. It collapsed about 20 yards from the deputy.
CPW reviewed the body camera footage and determined the deputy acted in self-defense. The agency said no wrongdoing occurred.
Authorities say unsecured trash at the apartment complex had been a recurring problem and had attracted the bears to the area.
The bear left behind two cubs.
Wildlife officers safely captured the orphaned cubs and transported them to a rehabilitation facility in Silt, where they are now being cared for.
State wildlife officials say that as bears search for food, keeping trash secured and doors and windows closed can help prevent an encounter before it happens. They want to stress the message that people should not approach or follow a bear. If you encounter an aggressive bear, report it immediately.
