The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) has issued an apology for causing confusion after investigations revealed that the RCMP had euthanized a bear that had attacked a three-year-old girl in Maple Ridge earlier this month. The incident occurred on August 9 when the girl was playing on her family’s backyard deck and was attacked by a black bear. The bear was chased away by one of her parents.
Subsequently, Maple Ridge RCMP reported that the bear had returned multiple times to the area while officers were present, leading them to shoot the bear. However, two days later, a necropsy performed on the bear by the BCCOS showed that it was not the bear responsible for the attack.
In a video statement posted on social media on Friday, BCCOS Sgt. Jeremy Pauls announced that further investigation, evidence reassessment, additional evidence gathering, and DNA analysis confirmed that the dispatched bear was indeed the one involved in the attack. He clarified that no other bears were euthanized in connection with the incident.
Pauls expressed regret for the confusion caused by the initial BCCOS assessment and thanked the RCMP for their prompt response to ensure public safety. He also mentioned that the victim, who had sustained non-life-threatening injuries according to the RCMP, is in the process of recovery.
Maple Ridge RCMP, in response to the BCCOS’s initial assessment that the wrong bear was killed, stated that they always review incidents to explore potential enhancements in training or equipment for the benefit of officers and the community.