Stony Point Resident Shoots Black Bear During Family Barbecue

A Stony Point resident hosting a family barbecue shot a black bear he deemed a threat to his guests when the bear would not leave his property Saturday afternoon. 

The incident took place at approximately 1 p.m. at 567 Willow Grove Road, Stony Point Police Sgt. John Wood told Patch. Guests, including children, were outside when the bear came onto the property and at the time of the shooting, but police did not know how many.

"The bear came onto his property in close proximity to his guests and was not shooing away," said Sgt. Wood. "He took matters into his own hands."

The homeowner, Richard Wheeler, used a rifle to shoot the bear, which died at the scene. The Department of Environmental Conservation arrived at the home and "found everything to be fine," said Sgt. Wood. A DEC represtentative was not available for an interview at the time of publication.

The DEC released the bear to Wheeler, who declined a phone interview with Patch regarding the incident.

The Willow Grove Road home is located in a relatively low density, wooded area close to Harriman State Park. 

Several bear sightings in the Hudson Valley region have been reported recently. Earlier this June, black bears were spotted in New Castle and at . The

"Any time people come in contact with a bear, call the police," advised Sgt. Wood. "Try not to go near a bear."