Investigators identify suspect in Issaquah bear shooting
November 16, 2010
By Warren Kagarise
NEW — 6:30 p.m. Nov. 16, 2010
State Department of Fish and Wildlife investigators identified the person believed to be responsible for shooting a black bear in Issaquah last week.
Veterinarians later euthanized the bear cub, because a bullet wound had left the animal paralyzed.
State wildlife agents did not release the suspect’s name or arrest the person Tuesday. The information gathered during the investigation will be sent to the King County Prosecutor’s Office to determine if charges should be filed.
State wildlife agents tranquilized and captured the bear Nov. 11 after the homeowner reported a trapped bear in a creek on the property. The animal was then transported to PAWS in Lynnwood.
The bear — a male about a year old and 135 pounds — appeared to become stuck in a logjam and had endured a night in a ditch in a backyard near Highlands Drive Northeast and Southeast Black Nugget Road. The weakened animal developed hypothermia as a result.
Veterinarians at PAWS discovered a bullet lodged near the animal’s spine. The gunshot caused permanent nerve damage and left the rear half of the bear paralyzed.