(WBIR-KNOXVILLE) Investigators are still trying to determine what happened to a Campbell County man early Friday morning. One thing they now say for sure-- he was not attacked by a bear.
On Friday, Michael Savage, 27, said he was walking from a friend's house in the middle of the night when he was attacked by a large animal with dark, coarse hair.. He then walked several miles home, where he was taken to a hospital to be treated for his injuries.
At first, authorities treated the incident like a bear attack. TWRA set out bear traps and Campbell County officials warned visitors and residents to take extra precautions.
On Saturday, TWRA spokesperson Matt Cameron told 10News that while they still weren't certain what happened, they did not believe that Savage was attacked by a bear or other animal.
Cameron offered a few more details on Monday. Cameron said there were no bite wounds on Savage, and no physical evidence in the area where he said the attack happened.
"There's no defensive wounds on him. There's no bite marks. They're all lacerations, and people who have been attacked by a bear will have bite marks on them -- on their arms, their hands, their back -- and he just doesn't have that," said Cameron.
Savage also told investigators that he stabbed the animal with a knife, but there was no blood or hair on that knife.
Cameron said TWRA will keep the bear trap in the area until Friday, but if it remains empty, it will be removed.
Cameron would not speculate on what happened to Savage, but reiterated that investigators do not believe he was attacked by a bear or animal of any kind.
