Young Boy Attacked by Black Bear in Bedford, N.Y.
On Tuesday morning, a black bear attacked a young boy outside his home in Bedford, N.Y. Thankfully, his parents were able to scare the animal away and save their son, according to officials. The incident occurred around 11:19 a.m., and emergency workers arrived shortly after.
Carlos Cano, the chief of the Armonk Fire Department, reported that by the time they arrived, the boy’s mother, who is a doctor, had already bandaged him. The boy was then taken to the hospital, but authorities state that his injuries do not appear to be life-threatening.
Colleagues at the scene informed Chief Cano that the bear had grabbed the approximately 7-year-old boy. “Mom was still in shock,” Chief Cano said.
Upon arrival, officers found the bear still in the family’s yard and made the decision to shoot it, as it posed a danger to emergency workers and residents. There are plans to test the bear’s carcass for rabies, according to a spokesperson for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
As of now, the North Castle police have not provided any updates on the boy’s condition or the killing of the bear. Messages left for the family have gone unanswered.
This incident highlights the increasing number of reported bear sightings or interactions with humans in Westchester County. In 2017, there were only nine reported instances, but that number rose to 40 last year. While the bear population in the county is relatively small and stable, state officials are urging caution.
Bear attacks are rare, and this particular incident is a first for Chief Cano, who has been serving with the Armonk Fire Department for 25 years. However, bears can be attracted to garbage produced by humans and suburban bird feeders, which can lead to dangerous encounters if bears are living in close proximity to humans.
In a similar incident last fall, a bear attacked a 10-year-old boy while he was playing in his grandparents’ backyard in Morris, Conn., about 60 miles northeast of Tuesday’s attack. The bear was killed, and the child was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Residents in the area are understandably shaken by the recent incident. Jack Kriskey, a retired contractor from Greenwich, Conn., mentioned that bear sightings have become more frequent, causing some of his neighbors to be apprehensive about letting their cats outside. He acknowledges that the authorities had no choice but to kill the bear but expresses sadness over the loss of such a beautiful animal.
The investigation into the attack is ongoing, and authorities are working to ensure the safety of residents in the area while reminding them to remain vigilant and report any bear sightings promptly.