NORTH BEND, WA – Authorities say one person was killed and another injured in a cougar attack in North Bend, Washington, CBS affiliate KIRO-TV reports. The two victims were mountain biking in the area when the incident took place around 11:20 a.m. Saturday, officials said.
First responders said they found the deceased victim with the cougar still standing over the body. As wildlife officials approached them, the cougar ran from the scene, a King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson tells CBS News.
The injured 31-year-old biker was taken to a nearby hospital where they were listed in serious condition.
Patient status update: The 31-year-old male who arrived at Harborview this afternoon as a result of a mountain lion attack near North Bend is being treated in the Emergency Dept. He is currently awake and alert and in serious condition.
— Harborview Seattle (@harborviewmc) May 19, 2018
The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife is handling the investigation. The sheriff’s office spokesperson said the fate of the cougar is unclear should they find it.
Cougars make up the largest members of the cat family in Washington, resulting in hundreds of calls to wildlife officers regarding sightings each year, according to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife website. It says the increasing human population and decreasing cougar habitat may lead to more encounters between humans and cougars.
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