Employee shoots bear at Aspen Mountain restaurant
ASPEN, Colo. -- Colorado wildlife officials have euthanized a young bear after it got into a restaurant atop Aspen Mountain and was shot by an employee.
The Aspen Times reports that a worker wounded the 70-pound animal Saturday with a shotgun and pistol. A spokesman for Aspen Skiing Co., which owns the restaurant in the resort town, says employees had tried unsuccessfully to scare away the bear after it broke in through a locked door.
Spokesman Jeff Hanle says it charged workers and the employee opened fire.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers found the animal under the deck of the restaurant with gunshot wounds and killed it.
Perry Will, the agency's area wildlife manager, says the bear was seen around the business for two weeks leading up to the shooting. In one instance, it charged a chef.