Bear Shot near Occupied Business, Neighborhood in Moxee

According to Moxee Police, the direction the bear was traveling, and the number of potential contacts it could make with people resulted in the decision to take it down.

Bear ambles through town Saturday evening.

Moxee Police did not say what size the bear was but were called to a location in the 6000 block of Mieras Road around 7:40 PM Saturday. The location is about 7 miles southwest of Yakima.

The bear appeared to be making its way towards a business that was occupied by a number of people inside and outside, and it was also headed in the general direction of a populated neighborhood.

Moxee Police, who monitored the bear's progress for some time, consulted with Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife officers who were also called out, and the WDFW decided it would be the safest option to put down the bear.

It was taken down by one shot from a WDFW Officer, the bear's body was turned over to the fish and wildlife officials.

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The location where the bear was taken down was less than a half mile from East Valley High School.