School Lockdown Lifted When Bear Leaves Town

Bears have been the talk of the area of late. A man was arrested after killing one with a bow and arrow, a rally for departed mascot was held in Mendham and Tuesday morning one scampering bruin caused the lockdown of some Hackettstown schools.

Hackettstown High School, Hatchery Hill School and Hackettstown Middle School have lifted their modified lockdown Tuesday after a bear in the area fled from authorities, Hackettstown Police Sgt. Darren Tynan said.

At 7:40 a.m. Tuesday police responded to a report of a bear in the back yard of someone's home, Tynan said. The bear was not acting in an aggressive manner, Tynan said.

Authorities then followed the bruin into the quarry, and subsequently onto the State Fish Hatchery property, Tynan said. 

A short while later, the bear was spotted on Arthur Terrace, Shelley Drive, and on the Minebrook Golf Course on Schooley's Mountain Road, Tynan said.

The school lockdown was lifted at approximately 11 a.m., and no one was injured as a result of the incident.