Police doubt bear shooting story
Thursday, April 10, 2008
By SANDRA E. CONSTANTINE and GEORGE GRAHAM
GRANBY - Environmental police have concluded there is no evidence that a black bear shot by a town man on his property was charging the resident.
"Evidence does not indicate there was a public safety threat," Lisa Capone, a spokeswoman for the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, said yesterday.
The bear was euthanized by state environmental police Tuesday morning after David W. Menard, 23, of 10 Oak Drive shot it with a compound bow, according to officials. Menard told police he shot the animal on his property because it charged him, and he feared for the safety of his cats, Patrolman Kevin C. O'Grady said.
Granby police were called to the scene by Menard about 7:40 a.m. Tuesday and in turn notified environmental police.
Capone said the shooting was investigated by Environmental Police Officer Anthony Tranghese, whom she described as having 25 years experience in dealing with problem wildlife, including black bears.
Menard is to be charged with hunting without a license, hunting bear without a permit, discharging bow or firearm within 150 feet of a road and hunting out of season, she said. A spokeswoman for court said she could not release information on the matter.
Environmental Police discovered the bear on its back in a wooded area a short distance away from the residence and used a shotgun to put it down, O'Grady said.
Meanwhile, Police Chief Louis M. Barry said bear sightings are a daily occurrence in town and that residents should take care not to leave out bird feeders, dog or cat food, and unturned compost piles.
"Don't antagonize them. They usually wander off if you just leave them alone," Barry said.
He described the animals as naturally shy and unlikely to attack unless protecting a cub or food source.
I don't know which is full of more idiots the west coast or the east coast. I hope these cute, cuddly, harmless bears eat each and every "environmental police" jerkoff walkin'. Some things are rationally assumed to be a threat by their very existence in one's vicinity.
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