Black Bear Attacks, Kills Arizona Man

Steven Jackson, 66, was drinking his morning coffee when he was attacked and killed by a black bear. Image by Dr. We

A black bear fatally mauled a 66-year-old man who was camping on his property in Prescott, Arizona.

According to CBS News, the attack happened the morning of Friday, June 16, when the victim, Steven Jackson, was sitting at a table drinking coffee. Jackson was in the process of building a home on his property.

Authorities with the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) said there was no indication that the bear was attracted to the area by food or access to water.

"It appears that a male black bear attacked Mr. Jackson, taking him unaware, and dragged him approximately 75 feet down an embankment," a sheriff’s office press release stated.

The statement says neighbors and witnesses who heard the victim’s screams attempted to scare the bear away by honking their car horns and shouting, but it wouldn’t stop its attack on Jackson until one neighbor shot the animal. Sadly, by the time the bear was shot, Jackson had already succumbed to his injuries.

According to YCSO and Arizona Game and Fish, this is only the second known fatal bear attack in the state since the mid-1980s.

Officials have warned campers and visitors to lock up food in a vehicle and not leave out items like toothpaste, which can attract bears to a campsite.

Officials believe the attack by the adult black bear was likely predatory in nature, but YCSO and Arizona Game and Fish said they will conduct further investigations to determine the reasons behind the bear’s attack.