Alaska News

Anchorage police officer repels black bear with Taser

A problem bear that has been frequenting Hillside homes and yards in recent weeks was subjected to shock therapy from police spokesman Lt. Dave Parker's Taser on Thursday morning.

After the small black bear got into a fish fryer on the porch, Parker decided to try a novel approach to deconditioning the animal to people, he said. He armed himself with a backup firearm and a personal Taser C2, which launches a 30-second burst of 100,000 volts, Parker said.

"I thought, 'Here is a wonderful opportunity to give this a test,' " Parker said. He fired out the window and hit the bear in the shoulder from about 15 feet, he said.

"The bear promptly went inverted, with feet in the air, growling and crying at the same time, flailing with his feet," Parker said. "He actually rolled off the porch."

When it was done, the bear sat up, shook his head, seemingly to regain his wits, and then bolted "faster than any bear I've ever seen," he said.

"Hopefully, he's associating electrification with getting into mischief in people's homes," Parker said.

Anchorage Daily News

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