Bear Attacks Hudson Valley Man Inside Home
Update: An off-duty police officer was sent to the hospital after he was attacked by a bear inside his home.
On Sunday around 9:30 p.m., the Town of Cornwall Police Department received a call about a bear encounter off of Mineral Springs Road in the Town of Cornwall.
The Cornwall homeowner entered his home's attached garage and noticed a small black bear entered the garage through a door that was left open.
William Orange then heard a growl and was struck in the chest by the bear, police say.
"I heard a growl and saw big teeth and something grabbed my shirt," Orange told ABC. "I hit it with my forearm and just ran."
The off-duty NYPD detective's shirt was ripped open by the bear and he sustained a very deep scratch from the animal’s claws, according to Cornwall police.
According to ABC, the bear left four long scratches on Orange's chest and stomach.
The homeowner was able to push the bear away and go inside his home without further contact with the animal.
The man was treated at the scene by and transported to St.Lukes Hospital for treatment.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation was contacted and is investigating.
"Although bear attacks are extremely rare in New York, residents are reminded to remove food sources for wild animals whenever possible and if trash is stored in a garage or outbuilding doors should be kept closed whenever possible," Cornwall Police Department Chief Todd Hazard said in a press release.
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