Off-Duty Officer Shoots Attacking Bear To Defend His Family

posted on December 17, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

In the foothills of California’s San Gabriel Mountain range, an off-duty sheriff’s deputy (aka, an armed citizen) returned home with his young children and rounded the corner to the front door. That’s when they encountered three black bears rummaging through the trash—one of which charged toward the family. 

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told KTLA-5, “Fearing for his life, and the lives of his children, the deputy fired several rounds from a handgun toward the bear.” It was believed the bear may have been injured, as it suddenly turned and fled with the other two into a wooded area. 

The family was not injured, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s search for the three bears has so far been unsuccessful. The sheriff’s office has since issued a reminder to area residents that wildlife sightings are more common in the foothills and that wild animals are drawn to homes by trash, pets and water.

Latest

10 Lies About Guns And Crime The Trump Administration Has Exposed
10 Lies About Guns And Crime The Trump Administration Has Exposed

Dispelling Anti-Gun Disinformation | Here Are 10 Lies About Guns And Crime The Trump Administration Has Exposed

Crime is a major problem in the United States, 66% of Americans believe, with 81% saying it is a major problem in large cities, according to an August 2025 poll by the Associated Press/NORC [previously the National Opinion Research Center].

The Greatest Second Amendment Victory in a Century

On July 4, 2025, Americans celebrated not only our nation’s independence, but also the restoration of our constitutional Second Amendment rights becoming unconstrained by burdensome and arbitrary fees.

Opening Salvo | More Evidence That Gun-Control Groups are Freaking Out

With the Trump administration’s law-and-order push showing America’s crime problem is clearly not the fault of lawfully armed citizens, gun-control groups are freaking out.

John Rich has a Song for Armed Citizens

John Rich's latest song is "The Righteous Hunter." It is a moving tune about standing up to stop those with evil intentions. It is a song for lawfully armed citizens.

This Department of Education Grant Could Change Things

The University of Wyoming’s Firearms Research Center has been awarded a nearly $1 million grant by the U.S. Department of Education to develop a nationwide program on the origins, meaning and implications of the Second Amendment.

From the Editor | Charlie Kirk Lived for Freedom

“Give me liberty, or give me death,” are the immortal words of Patrick Henry spoken on March 23, 1775, to the Second Virginia Convention in Richmond, Va. His impassioned words were a call to arms against British tyranny.  

Interests



Get the best of America's 1st Freedom delivered to your inbox.