Deputy Recalls Initial Animal Encounters

 One of the first sheriff’s deputies on the scene is speaking out about the animal incident.

Deputy Jonathan Merry says when he arrived on Thompson’s farm, he saw a Bengal tiger, two black bears and an African female lion being contained by no more than a normal livestock fence. He then saw a grey wolf running down kopchak away from the farm.

"At that time I got in my patrol cruiser, followed the wolf, the wolf turned westbound, again further in the opposite direction of the Thompson residence. I was instructed over the radio to put down and kill the wolf," recalled Merry.

 After killing the wolf, dispatchers informed him there was a lion back at the entrance of the farm cornered but once he arrived, it wasn’t a lion but a black bear, a black bear that was coming right toward him ready to attack.

"To be honest, it happened so fast, I didn’t have a whole lot of time to think, other than I remember making sure I had a clear shooting alley behind the bear. I fired on the animal, it happened so fast, it didn’t really sink in until I went home," said Merry.

After killing the bear, that’s when the situation intensified with dozens more animals roaming the area.