Bear Shot After Cornering Trooper Inside Ky. School Field House
What to Know
- A Kentucky State Police trooper fatally shot a bear after it entered the athletic field house at James A. Cawood Elementary School in Harlan County and allegedly became aggressive.
- State police said the bear lunged at the trooper and backed him into a corner inside the building, leading the trooper to shoot the animal in self-defense.
- The trooper was not injured, no students were on campus at the time, and school officials said they are reviewing existing bear-safety protocols following the incident.
A Kentucky State Police trooper shot and killed a bear inside an athletic field house at a Harlan County school.
The trooper saw garbage outside the field house at James A. Cawood Elementary School at about 9:40 p.m. Thursday and noticed a door open, state police said in a news release.
“The bear had entered the building and became aggressive, lunging at the trooper and backing him into a corner,” the release posted on social media stated.
The trooper, who was not named, shot the bear to protect himself, state police said.
Fish and Wildlife representatives were called to the scene.
No students were present at the time of the incident, Harlan County Public Schools said in a statement posted to social media.
The district said its schools are “bear aware” and have protocols in place to help students stay safe.
“We will begin an immediate review of our protocols to determine if any additional measures can be added to further enhance safety,” the statement said.
The district said it has worked with the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources to identify bear safety strategies in the past.
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The trooper was uninjured, and there was no damage to school property, KSP said.