A brown bear seriously injured during a hazing attempt by a Skagway Police Department officer has been put down by a National Park Service ranger at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Alaska.

According to park officials, the police officer had intended to shoot the bear with a rubber round after it was spotted July 16 in the park's Dyea Campground. He mistakenly put a live round in his shotgun, however. After it was shot, the bear ran away from the campground. Police and park rangers looking for the bear saw it "swimming across the Taiya River toward an island near the west bank. (It) was last tracked entering the river downstream of the island as it became dark," a park release said at the time.

Following the hazing event, the Skagway Interagency Bear Management Group, made up of representatives from the SPD, the NPS, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), evaluated the situation and determined to dispatch the bear if it still demonstrated evidence of suffering.

On Saturday morning a Dyea resident contacted a Park Service ranger to report an injured bear near a fishing slough on the Dyea Flats. Upon finding the bear, the ranger observed that it was suffering from a “dead” hind leg, unable to bear any weight whatsoever, and appeared to lack a visible fear in the presence of groups of people, a park release said.

After these observations, the ranger shot and killed the bear in accordance with the Skagway Interagency Bear Management Group determination. An examination of the bear revealed that it suffered from a broken femur and dislocated hip as a result of the hazing incident on July 16. 

The Skagway Bear Management Group reminds the public and area residents that Dyea is home to both black and brown bears. Bears are attracted to ocean accessible valleys seeking a variety of natural food sources from berries and grubs to fish. Bears are naturally conditioned to find food in nature, but are also opportunistic and won’t pass up an easy high-fat meal.

Bears and people can share a common space and both remain safe when we prevent opportunities for bears to find cars, camps, homes, yards, and backpacks attractive. Each agency in the bear management group is always willing to assist and share information to make our homes and activities more bear safe. The group would like to thank the Skagway and Dyea area residents for their watchful eyes and cooperation over the last couple of weeks.