TROUTDALE, OR — Police closed Sandy River Park after two fishermen said a bear charged at them there on Thursday. The report of the encounter prompted a safety response and left the park shut down while officials looked into what happened.
Oregon State Police and staff from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife planned to enter the park to try to locate the bear. Their goal was to make sure the area was safe for the public before people were allowed back in.
State wildlife crews prepared to search the park
The immediate next step was a field response from Oregon State Police and ODFW staff. Officials said they would go into the park to look for the animal after the reported charge by the fishermen.
That response reflected the concern that a bear seen near people in a public recreation area could pose a risk if it stayed in the area. Authorities did not say in the available information whether the animal had been seen again after the encounter…