Tahoe bear shooting: Witnesses contradict homeowner's account of bear cub death
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Witnesses are providing conflicting stories about how and why a baby bear was shot and killed on Memorial Day in South Lake Tahoe, according to SFGate.
As a result, the El Dorado County District Attorney will be conducting its own investigation into the shooting of a 16-month-old cub that was killed after it wandered onto the property of a hunter, who shot it at least three times, claiming self-defense, the nonprofit BEAR League shared on Facebook Thursday.
"We hope that the District Attorney conducts a more thorough investigation than the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which closed its investigation the same day without conducting interviews of eyewitnesses to the event," the post read.
Next-door neighbors Stephanie and Bogdan Yamkovenko told SFGate they witnessed their neighbor fire a rifle three times at the cub. Stephanie Yamkovenko told SFGate that the bear was outside her neighbor’s house and running away when the first shot was fired.
Man shoots bear cub that breaks into home, Tahoe neighbors upset
Neighbors are upset after a man shot and killed a bear cub that snuck into his home in South Lake Tahoe. People in the neighborhood say on Memorial Day they saw the bear standing near the door to his home.
"The really big piece that we want to make sure people understand is that the bear was outside the house when the first shot happened. So there was no need to shoot that bear," Stephanie Yamkovenko said. "You could have just shut your door at that point."
However, her report contradicts what the homeowner told the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. He told state officials the bear entered his home, walking into the living room, according to KCRA.
The department closed the case the following day, saying the bear shooting was justified.
But from day No. 1, neighbors disagreed with the claim of self-defense, saying the homeowner "knew [the bear] was there but left his door open into his house" and that the owner is known for not liking bears, according to the BEAR League.