CANTON, Connecticut – Law enforcement authorities in Connecticut are currently investigating the shooting of a 450-pound adult male black bear, with the shooter claiming the act was done in self-defense. The bear was killed after allegedly being spotted feeding at an unsecured dumpster in Canton, a community located about 13 miles northwest of Hartford.
According to Paul Copleman, a spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the incident took place on Monday morning. The state’s Environmental and Conservation Police officers are overseeing the investigation into the matter.
This shooting incident comes following the passing of legislation by the General Assembly last year, which permits the use of deadly force against a bear in Connecticut if there is a reasonable belief that the bear poses a threat of great bodily harm to a person, pet, or is entering an occupied building.
Some state legislators have expressed concerns about the rise in interactions between humans and bears in Connecticut. They had hoped for additional measures in the legislation, such as a bear hunt and restrictions on unintentionally feeding the animals.
Copleman mentioned that the conservation police are exploring whether this is the first incident where someone has claimed self-defense in killing a bear since the law was enforced.
In recent years, black bears have been regularly sighted throughout Connecticut, with reports of bear sightings in 165 out of the state’s 169 cities and towns in 2023. Last year, there were over 200 bear sightings reported in Canton alone.
As investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding this particular shooting, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold and what implications it may have for wildlife management in the state.