An unsuspecting Arizona man was mauled to death by a black bear Friday in an unprovoked attack that left officials puzzled.
Tuscan resident Steven Jackson, 66, was drinking a cup of coffee at an outside table on his wooded Groom Creek property just before 8 a.m. when the large adult male black bear struck, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said.
Jackson, who was building a home on the grounds, appeared completely unaware of the predator until it pounced on him and dragged him about 75 feet down an embankment, where it began mauling the senior citizen.
Neighbors who heard Jackson screaming for help tried to deter the bear by shouting and honking their horns, but the animal refused to let go until one local fired his rifle and killed the bear.
“Unfortunately, by that time Mr. Jackson has succumbed to his horrible injuries,” the sheriff’s office said.
Officials from Arizona Game and Fish believe the bear’s aggression was a “predatory response,” but are dumbfounded about what caused the attack.
Officials said there did not appear to be anything on the site that would have provoked the mauling — such as food, a cooking site or access to water.
Investigators implied that disease could have played a factor in the brutal attack, though the incident is still under investigation and a necropsy will be performed on the animal.
“Our hearts go out to Mr. Jackson’s family over today’s tragic incident,” said Todd Geiler of Prescott, a member of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission.
“This was an especially aggressive, unprovoked attack that reminds us that wildlife can be unpredictable.”
Attacks by black bears — the only bear species found in Arizona — are highly rare, the agency said.
The only other known fatal attack at the hands of the animal was in 2011 in Pinetop, roughly 200 miles west of where Jackson was mauled.
There have been 15 reports of nonfatal bear attacks on people in Arizona since 1990.
Officials ask residents to not shoot bears unless they detect an imminent threat.
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June 17, 2023 at 07:50AM
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