JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A bear escaped an exhibit at a Florida zoo and attacked a zookeeper before being fatally shot by workers, officials said.
The escape in a behind-the-scenes area happened just after 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
Zoo officials said in a Facebook post that an emergency call was initiated and the facility’s “lethal weapons team responded immediately.”
“Our highest priority is always the safety of human lives, therefore, the bear was shot and killed,” the statement said. “We will be conducting an ongoing investigation over the coming days and weeks. We do not take this lightly. It is profoundly painful when we have a loss of an animal, especially under circumstances such as this.”
Read: Brrrrrr! Temperatures drop below freezing Christmas weekend
FirstCoast News reported that Jacksonville Fire and Rescue crews took the zookeeper who was attacked to a hospital for treatment with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
A zoo curator told Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office investigators that when he arrived at the habitat he saw the bear “actively attacking” the zookeeper. He said the attack continued as they waited for the veterinarian team to arrive, so he made the “executive decision to move in and shoot the bear,” the police report said.
Read: How Central Florida citrus farmers use ice to protect crops from frigid cold
The bear went back into the enclosure after the shooting, where it died.
Multiple workers moved in to assist the victim until rescue workers arrived, the report said.
Read: How Central Florida Zoo is keeping animals safe amid frigid weather
News outlets identified the bear as Jonny, a 5-year-old North American black bear.
No additional details were immediately available.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2022 Cox Media Group
