Black Bear.jpg

(File photo)

(Dave Canton,Republican)

AMHERST— A 17-year-old Amherst girl was slightly injured when she was attacked by a Black Bear Saturday evening. Police officers had a large bear cornered in a South Amherst residential area, and were waiting for Environmental Police Officers to respond to the scene.

Amherst Police Sgt. Brian Johnson said the incident happened at some point between 9 and 9:30 p.m. when she was walking her dog.

Johnson said police have yet to question the girl, who was taken to a local hospital by her family for treatment.

Police learned that the girl was walking her dog when the bear approached her aggressively. The girl said she jumped up on a car to avoid the bruin, but she was scratched in the confrontation.

Amherst blogger Larry Kelly said police on the scene estimated the bear to be between 300 and 400 pounds and is wearing a radio tracking collar. Johnson said the bear is now in the Tracey Circle area of South Amherst.

This is a developing story and information will be posted as it becomes available.