A black bear was shot and killed by Harrison police last Monday after being spotted wandering through the yards of various homes on Columbus Avenue, just a few miles from Rye.
There had been another sighting — presumably of the same bear — six blocks away, on Sherman Avenue, earlier in the day, according to a statement posted by Harrison PD on social media. The post has since been removed from Facebook and Instagram.
The bear was “continually mobile” and went into front yards of homes on Columbus Avenue, wrote police in justifying their “difficult decision” to “humanely euthanize” it.
The decision was made “in the interest of public safety,” the PD wrote, although the statement did not include any mention of the bear seeming sick, aggressive, or threatening.
The bear “didn’t pose any immediate threats to the public” and had “access to reasonable escape routes,” according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office announced on Thursday that it would be looking into the incident, News 12 reported.
The controversy ignited outcry on social media.
”NOT OK!” one Facebook user commented. Multiple comments mentioned children in the neighborhood hearing the incident.
“What happened was not just tragic, it was preventable,” wrote Cottontail Cottage Wildlife Rehab, a Westchester-based animal rescue service, in a Facebook post.
Harrison PD cited a lack of access to “non-lethal services” as rationale for fatally shooting the animal.
The Environmental Conservation Police did not provide “any type of assistance whatsoever,” Harrison PD claimed.
However, when the killing happened, a uniformed officer from the state Environmental Conservation Police was present, according to Harrison police. same statement.
The statement also implicated Westchester County and “private sources” in their failure to provide Harrison PD with any tranquilization or trapping resources.
And yet, Jim Horton, a wildlife expert, told News 12 that Harrison police contacted him to help deal with the bear. Horton told them he could be there in 10 minutes, but the police never reached back out, according to the outlet.
The bear was allegedly shot out of a tree, before it fell into a backyard, according to eyewitness reports on social media and a video obtained by The Record.
The bear remained there dying for a “short time,” and then was removed by a contracted animal removal service, according to police.
Black bear attacks are “extremely rare,” according to the National Park Service.
Harrison PD’s statement promised “to explore the possibility of having several officers cross trained in animal tranquilization and trapping.”
NYSDEC advises the following in the event or risk of a bear sighting:
- Never feed or approach bears
- Secure food, garbage and recycling
- Remove bird feeders when bears are active
- Never leave pet food outdoors
- Clean and store grills and smokers
- Alert neighbors to bear
More information compiled by DEC on what to do when faced with a black bear can be found here.
The Record reached out to Harrison police and DEC and is awaiting comment.
