File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

Bear Killing

Skeetchestn resident left haunted by ‘torturous,’ prolonged bear killing near her home

Sep 19, 2023 | 2:46 PM

KAMLOOPS — A woman who lives on Skeetchestn Indian Band territory is raising alarms after she says a community member shot a treed black bear 30 to 40 times outside her home before the animal finally died.

The incident began late on August 27 and ended several hours later on August 28.

According to Tk’emlups RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Crystal Evelyn, police spoke to witnesses in the aftermath of the report, but did not attend.

“Based on the investigation, the incident is not believed to be criminal in nature, and was done in a defensive manner,” said Evelyn in an email to CFJC Today.

But Cindi Kutrieb-Farenholtz does not buy that explanation.

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She says the incident took place on her next-door neighbour’s property and was extremely upsetting.

Kutrieb-Farenholtz says when she investigated a loud disturbance outside, she found a man shooting the treed bear with a firearm that was of too small a calibre to kill it.

She believes the bear was shot more than 30 times over the course of several hours before it finally descended from the tree. She says the man shot it several more times before it finally succumbed to its many wounds.

The killing left her emotionally shaken.

Kutrieb-Farenholtz describes the incident as torturous and inhumane, and is calling for action from the Skeetchestn Indian Band. She has sent a detailed open letter to band management describing her concerns.

Editor’s note: Cpl. Evelyn initially told CFJC Today officers had attended the scene after the report of shots fired. On Sept. 27, Evelyn contacted CFJC Today to inform us she was mistaken. Officers had not attended the scene.