Colorado man shoots, kills two bear cubs

Blair Shiff | KUSA-TV, Denver, Colo.

EVERGREEN, Colorado - Two bear cubs died Tuesday morning after a Colorado man shot them.

According to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, a 40-year-old homeowner in Evergreen, Colo., saw a mother bear and her two cubs going through his trash around 5:15 a.m on Tuesday.

He had rubber bullets in his shotgun, so he fired two rounds to scare them off. His dog ran out into the area, so the homeowner grew concerned for his dog. He fired a third round, but it was a live round. The live round hit both cubs.

One bear cub was killed instantly. The other was wounded and had to be euthanized by Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers.

The mother bear ran across the street and into a tree. The bear spent the majority of the day in the tree, but came down safely before nightfall, Colorado Parks and Wildlife says.

The live round also went through a neighbor's window, but no one was hurt in that home.

The man will face two misdemeanor charges of hunting out of season and one felony charge of illegal discharge of a firearm.