A 72-year-old Arkansas man has sadly died after being attacked by a black bear. He was severely mauled by the animal earlier this month. Sadly, his situation did not improve in the days that followed.
Previously, his family confirmed that the senior was unlikely to survive his injuries, and sadly, that has come to pass. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission confirmed that Vernon Patton passed away on September 14. Speaking with KNWA/KFTA, his family confirmed that he passed away after being attacked by an animal in the Mulberry Mountain.
Black Bear Kills Man
"Our beloved father, grandfather, husband and hero, Vernon Patton, was seriously injured in a bear attack while he was doing what he loved, working on his land with his family," Patton's family said in a statement, according to ABC affiliate KHBS. "Vernon is currently being cared for in the ICU in Little Rock. While he remains in stable condition, his injuries are extensive and ultimately not survivable."
The incident is relatively rare. "There have been no documented bear attacks on humans in Arkansas in at least 25 years" prior to the attack.
AGFC spokesperson Keith Stephens said that Patton's son managed to scare the bear by throwing rocks at the animal. Later authorities tracked down and killed the black bear.
"[Officers] saw the bear in the area, and it wasn't very far from where the attack had taken place," Stephens said. "So they went over, the bear climbed a tree, and they put it down."
"If we have an animal that attacked a human being, you've got to put it down," he said. "You can't have that happening again."
