The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is investigating the shooting of a bear in Newtown, according to Newtown police.
The female bear called Bobbi was shot Thursday and left behind two cubs, police said.
Ridgefield's police chief said one of his department's off-duty officers was involved in the shooting of the bear.
The shooting has the Fairfield County community outraged, including Lauren Black of Newton, who said she and her family watched the bears all day and called the situation "heartbreaking."
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
Black said when the cubs got cozy in the tree, Bobbi wandered off and that’s when Black heard gunshots.
Bobbi never returned.
Black said Bobbi is well known in the Fairfield County Community. Those who spot her “217” ear tag share photos of her on a Facebook page created in her honor.
Local
“She is a legend in the area and there are a lot of people who are upset and who have been following her adventures for years,” said Black.
Black and others online are pushing the state to get the cubs rescued.
“It’s the whole idea of let nature take its course, if nature had taken its course the mama bear would be here with them. What happened to her was not natural," she said.
According to police, the first selectman is working with the DEEP Wildlife Division to do just that, and are trying to obtain a permit to rehabilitate the bear cubs with a wildlife specialist.
Black also mentioned that she hasn't seen the cubs since sunset on Thursday.
“With her gone someone has to step up and look out for them and they were in my yard, so now they’re my baby bears," she said.
Police are asking if anyone sees the bear cubs to leave them alone and not try to feed them. That will reduce their chance of survival and create a dangerous situation for both the bears and for people in the area, police said.
Anyone who may have witnessed the shooting is asked to call DEEP at (860) 424-3011.
