ALPINE, Arizona: A 15 year-old boy in Arizona was hospitalized after being slashed by a black bear that entered his home.
The bear reportedly entered the home through an open door.
Officials said the injured youth received wounds to his face and arm when the bear swiped at him. He was transported by officials to a local hospital for medical treatment.
Further, according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the bear was hunted down by rangers and killed.
The boy’s mother, Carol Hawkins, told AZFamily TV in Phoenix that her son was sitting alone and watching television when the bear entered the house and attacked him.
Hawkins added that another son heard the screams of the 15 year-old and ran to help, driving off the bear.
“Not many kids can say they got in a fight with a bear and came out on top,” Hawkins said on Facebook.
A picture of the boy posted on Facebook showed the boy with cuts on the teen’s nose and arm.
Wildlife officers thought the dead bear was about 3 years old and would be tested for disease.
Arizona officials began keeping track of bear attacks in the state in 1990. Officials said this attack was the 16th attack by bears on people, with two of the 16 attacks being fatal.
Only last year a 66-year old man was attacked and killed by a bear at a campsite south of Prescott, about 100 miles north of Phoenix.
