$2,500 reward for information in shooting of Issaquah bear
Submitted by
Lloyd Pritchett, KOMO News Web StaffFriday, November 12th, 05:54pm
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The hunt is on for the person who shot a black bear in Issaquah and left it so badly injured that it had to be euthanized.
Veterinarians believe the bear was shot not too far from where it was found on Thursday, in the back yard of an Issaquah home.
Now state wildlife officers are searching that neighborhood - and the Washington State Humane Society is offering a $2,500 reward - in hopes of finding the person who shot the bear.
A veterinarian who examined the bear found a bullet in its spine. The injury left the animal partially paralyzed, with significant nerve damage and injuries so painful that it had to be euthanized.
"He was paralyzed. That's the humane thing to do, to put him down. He wasn't going to go and lead a normal life," says state Fish & Wildlife Sgt. Kim Chandler.
The veterinarian who examined the bear told investigators the animal could not have traveled far with those injuries, so it's likely he was shot in the Issaquah neighborhood near Black Nugget Road and Highlands Drive.
"The bears around here didn't threaten anyone that I know of, so it's pretty terrible to shoot a bear for no apparent reason," says neighbor Jahan Vafaeezadeh.
Wildlife officers confirm they've never received any complaints about bears.
"We're still trying to determine exactly what happened here," says Chandler. "These bears are tough. The bear could have been shot right on that spot. ... Could very well have been shot and dragged himself. They're tough."
Investigators spent the day talking to the home owners who found the injured bear in their backyard on Friday morning - trying to turn up more clues.
Not only is bear hunting illegal in Issaquah, but the person who pulled the trigger could have put other people at risk.
"More likely, it's somebody getting tired of bears getting in their garbage cans and they decided to take matters into their own hands, which is not acceptable," said Chandler.
Investigators urge anyone with information about who shot the bear to call the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
