Man kills mountain lion with shovel defending himself and his dog

FREMONT COUNTY, Colo. (KKTV/Gray News) - Officials in Colorado said a man killed a mountain lion in self-defense, reporting that the animal approached him and his dog.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed that a man had killed a mountain lion on Sept. 26 in the Cañon City area. Their preliminary findings reported the killing was justified.

According to a press release from the state agency, a Colorado Parks and Wildlife officer was called to investigate a report of a man killing an aggressive mountain lion with a shovel at a campground.

The officer reported finding the man with the dead animal on the hood of his Jeep. The officer said the animal was a female mountain lion and weighed about 95 pounds.

The man reported to the officer that he was sitting outside with his dog, when the husky began growling and barking at a mountain lion approaching them.

According to the agency, the man said the animal got within 10 feet of them when his dog began to fight with it. It was then that the man grabbed a shovel and struck the mountain lion in the head, resulting in its death.

The officer’s preliminary findings reported the animal’s actions were “unusual and extremely aggressive” and that the man, fearing for his life, acted in self-defense.

The man was not injured and wasn’t touched by the mountain lion during the incident.

The animal’s body was sent to a lab for a necropsy, although the officer noted an injury to its front right paw and scratches along its back during their investigation.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife said their investigation remains open.

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