A Ridgefield police officer has been placed on administrative leave for their involvement in the shooting of a bear in Newtown.
Ridgefield's police chief previously said one of his department's off-duty officers was involved in the shooting that happened last week.
The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) said they rescued the two orphaned cubs after their mother was killed.
The cubs were placed in the care of a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, according to DEEP officials.
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Officials said they were able to safely tranquilize the first cub and they waited at the scene for the second one to climb down. Both bears have now been tranquilized, and appear very healthy.
A Newtown homeowner took a video of them not long before she said she heard their mama bear, known as Bobbi to community members, get shot. Bobbi was recognized by her ear tag.
Over the past couple of days, community members and animal advocates have been up in arms frustrated by the lack of response by DEEP, who said it planned to originally keep the cubs in the wild.
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Both DEEP officials and animal advocates are reminding everyone not to feed bears or these orphaned cubs.
The investigation into Bobbi's shooting continues. While wildlife officials have not released any details about it, animal advocates believe Bobbi’s death could have been prevented.
