SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — A female black bear was shot and killed after witnesses said it acted aggressively towards a woman and her dog.
According to TWRA, someone reported the bear, who had three cubs, was shot and killed on the night of May 31 on Mountain View Ct. in Sevierville.
Investigators talked to the people involved, and they said a woman had just stepped off her porch to take her dog for a walk when she encountered the bear.
It "became very aggressive coming toward her," according to TWRA spokesperson Matt Cameron. The woman let go of the dog and screamed for help.
RELATED: 'Two very large black bears in my front yard': Surprised Knoxvillians flood 911 center with calls
Witnesses said the bear swatted the dog out of the way and continued to approach the woman. A man who lived in the home came out on the porch and fired several rounds from a handgun towards the bear to stop it.
He said he was aiming at the ground in front of the bear and didn't realize he had hit it until the bear was found dead behind the home the the next day.
The cubs had returned to the mother's body, so officers were able to see they were four to five months old and in good condition. They were able to trap the cubs and take them to Appalachian Bear Rescue, where they will be cared for until they can be released back into the wild.
Cameron said the killing of the bear was determined to be self-defense in fear of life or bodily harm, so no charges were filed.