TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - A black bear was shot and killed after it wandered into a Tucson neighborhood Wednesday morning, May 24.
According to Arizona Game and Fish Department spokesman Mark Hart, the bear was put down at 9:35 a.m. after it charged at an officer.
The bear had been spotted several times since this weekend, from a campground on Mount Lemmon to neighborhoods off of East Skyline Drive.
Hart said the bear had been relocated from Greer in eastern Arizona to a remote location north of Globe and its history and behaviors in populated areas dictated it be put down.
He said, "It was a clear-cut decision" after the bear charged the officers.
An autopsy indicated the bear had been eating food discarded by people, according to Hart.
On Tuesday, wildlife officials issued a warning to hikers and campers on Mount Lemmon after three bear sightings.
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