Alaska News

Moose kicks woman who came too close in Town Square

A moose kicked a woman in Town Square Park Monday afternoon after she got too close to the animal and reportedly tried to pet it, according to Anchorage police.

The moose kicked the unidentified woman several times -- including in the chest and shoulder -- but she was not injured badly enough to go to the hospital, according to police spokeswoman Anita Shell.

Police were called to Town Square at about 4:40 p.m. and medics checked the woman and determined she was OK, Shell said.

Witnesses told police that the moose kicked the woman, in her 20s, after she tried to pet it as it walked by, Shell said.

The moose was spotted in Town Square throughout the day on Monday, feeding on trees. The moose was still hanging around at the downtown park after police arrived and the woman left at around 5 p.m.

"At this time, we are telling people not to agitate the moose ... to give it space," Shell said.

Anchorage police said they did not request that state biologists deal with the moose because the animal wasn't going after anyone unprovoked.

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"It was just doing what moose do," Shell said.

Reach Elizabeth Bluemink at ebluemink@adn.com or 257-4317.

By ELIZABETH BLUEMINK

ebluemink@adn.com

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