GRANTS PASS, Ore. (NEXSTAR) — Authorities say a man in southern Oregon trying to protect his home from a bear instead fatally shot his brother by mistake, then killed himself.
Josephine County Undersheriff Travis Snyder says the man called 911 around 7 a.m. Tuesday and told dispatchers he had “accidentally shot his brother while loading a gun” after being startled by the bear.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports deputies went to the home in Sunny Valley, an unincorporated community in the southwest corner of the state.
There they found a man dead from a gunshot wound. Snyder says they checked the residence and found a second man who had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“Based upon the investigation, it is believed the caller took his own life after calling 911 to report the accidental shooting,” Snyder wrote in a statement. “This case is still under investigation and will be forwarded to the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office.
Their names weren’t released.
“What an incredible tragedy,” one woman wrote on the Josephine County Sheriff’s Facebook page. “So many prayers for their family and friends.”
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says there are between 25,000 and 30,000 black bears in the state, where the last grizzly was killed in the late 1930s.
Officials say bears that start to depend on food found in or around homes and businesses can become a safety threat and most often will be euthanized. See the following tips for bear-proofing your property:
- Keep pet food indoors. Feed pets in the house, garage or enclosed kennel.
- Hang bird feeders from a wire at least 10 feet off the ground and 6 to 10 feet from the trunk of tree.
- Remove fruit that has fallen from trees.
- Add lime to compost piles to reduce odors ― do not compost meat, bones, fruit, dairy products or grease.
- Secure garbage cans in a garage, shed or behind a chain link or electric fence.
- Put garbage cans out just before pick-up time, not the night before.
- Purchase bear-proof garbage cans if necessary.
- Take garbage with you when leaving your vacation home.
- Clean garbage containers regularly with bleach or moth balls to reduce odors.
- Use electric fencing to keep bears from orchards, gardens, compost, beehives and berries.
- Store livestock food in a secure place.
- Don’t leave scented candles, soap or suntan lotions outdoors or near open windows.
- Keep barbecues clean. Store them in a shed or garage.
- Talk to neighbors to encourage everyone in the neighborhood to remove attractants.
- Stay indoors and allow a snooping bear to move on.
- Never, ever feed a bear.
- Teach children about bear safety.
Contain food and garbage
- Store food in airtight containers in the trunk of your car, in bear boxes or on platforms
- Hang bagged food 10-12 feet high and 6-10 feet from tree trunk or side support.
- Do not leave food items or pet food outdoors or in tents. Clean all food preparation and eating utensils immediately after using them, and place them in vehicles or other sealed, bear-proof containers.
- Dispose of garbage in bear-proof cans or pack it out.
- Do not bury garbage ― bears will dig it up.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.