Game Commission: Bear that attacked 2 children in Northeastern Pennsylvania captured

The Pennsylvania Game Commission announced Friday that it has captured and euthanized the bear that attacked two small children in Luzerne County.

A bear reportedly attacked the children — a 14-month-old and a 5-year-old — while they played in the driveway of their Wright Township home near Mountain Top on May 22. The children were treated for injuries and released from a hospital, but for the Pa. Game Commission the hunt was on to find the bear responsible.

And that came overnight Thursday when it said it caught two bears — a male and a female — in live traps. The commission said the bears were taken to the Dr. Jane Huffman Wildlife Genetics Institute at East Stroudsburg University and tested. The results of that test showed that the female bear was responsible for attacking the children.

Related:

That bear was euthanized to “prevent future attacks,” according to the commission. It noted that is also the only way to test the bear for rabies.

“While the agency doesn’t take lightly its duty to follow protocol to euthanize a bear involved in an attack, it also places importance on ensuring public safety,” Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans said. “And in this case we have fulfilled our responsibility through our actions.”

The commission said the male bear has been relocated to another site.

Earlier, the Game Commission thought a bear that was killed in a crash might’ve been the one involved in the driveway attack.