Nashua Bear Shooting: Bystanders 'Irresponsible'

NASHUA, NH — Nashua police spoke out against a group of bystanders who acted "irresponsibly" by stalking a bear that appeared downtown earlier this week. Police said they were forced to euthanize the bear by shooting it due in part to a large crowd that followed the animal, creating a dangerous situation for all involved. The crowd was rowdy, with many using their phones to shoot photos and video.

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Nashua police Lieutenant Thomas Bolton said at about 9 p.m., several people called 911 and reported seeing a large black bear. Officers found the bear on Amherst Street near Merrimack Street, with a group of people following it around. At about the same time, the Nashua Silver Knights baseball game at Holman Stadium had ended and people were filtering out in the area of the bear, Bolton said.

The bear ended up cornered and Bolton said officers decided to euthanize the animal by shooting it."It was an unfortunate situation," Bolton said.

In cases like this citizens are urged to call police and stay away from the animal, Bolton said.

This was the first bear sighting in downtown Nashua in recent memory. Bears are active nearby in Massachusetts this time of year, as it is the middle of their mating season. Earlier this month, a motorcyclist struck and killed a bear cub in the middle of the road in Littleton, Massachusetts. There have been several more bear sightings in Middlesex County over the last few weeks.

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• Bear Shot In Downtown Nashua
• Bear Cub Hit By Motorcycle In Littleton
• Black Bear Spotted In Wayland
• Black Bears Spotted In Concord

Photo: Shutterstock