A North American black bear has been shot and killed at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens after it "escaped the exhibit and engaged with a zookeeper behind the scenes," officials say.
In a Facebook post, the zoo said the incident started unfolding around 5 p.m. Wednesday when, "an emergency radio call was initiated and our lethal weapons team responded immediately.
"Our highest priority is always the safety of human lives, therefore, the bear was shot and killed," it said. "We will be conducting an ongoing investigation over the coming days and weeks. We do not take this lightly. It is profoundly painful when we have a loss of an animal, especially under circumstances such as this."
FirstCoast News reported that Jacksonville Fire and Rescue crews took the zookeeper who was attacked to a hospital for treatment with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
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A zoo curator told Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office investigators that when he arrived at the habitat he saw the bear "actively attacking" the zookeeper. He said the attack continued as they waited for the veterinarian team to arrive, so he made the "executive decision to move in and shoot the bear," the police report said.
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The bear went back into the enclosure after the shooting, where it died.
Multiple workers moved in to assist the victim until rescue workers arrived, the report said.
News outlets identified the bear as Jonny, a 5-year-old North American black bear.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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