“It’s been pretty brazen,” the chief added. He advised anyone who spots a mountain lion to “make themselves as big and imposing as possible. Make a lot of noise. I wouldn’t turn my back on it and run. That might trigger the predator instinct.”

Fuller said police only reluctantly shoot mountain lions, and instead often use rubber bullets in their shotguns to “haze” them out of town and instill a fear of humans.

“We realize they share the area with us,” he said. “As long as they’re good neighbors, we don’t have a problem with them. They are a magnificent animal, and they have their place here. But our job is about public safety, and sometimes we have to take action.”

For Potter, that action will come none too soon.

“I’m so scared for the kids in the neighborhood,” she said. “I always thought if I was out there, no wild animal would come up to us, but that was not the case. Now the cat is going after people, and I want to know what GF&P is going to do. When they start going after people it’s a different story.”