A bear is missing after charging a man and being shot; no human injuries reported

Fish and Game warns it’s the time of year bears enter hyperphagia, again advises securing trash and other attractants; man says he acted in self-defense

The big black bear seen at a neighbor's residence on Meadow Lane on Sept. 5, 2026. (Courtesy of Doug Jones)

By Jasz Garrett

Juneau Independent

A Mendenhall Valley resident shot a bear that charged him early Saturday morning, according to the Juneau Police Department. It’s unknown if the animal is deceased. 

“My wife woke me up, and she said there was a loud banging on the door and walls,” Saula Tuiqalau told the Juneau Independent in an interview Thursday. “She thought someone was trying to break in and I did too, so I grabbed my gun and then came outside to check what was happening, and I saw the bear fence that we built was flipped over on its side and the garbage was everywhere.”

He said he heard the bear puffing and huffing in the dark.

“I take a step off the stairs, and then I see the bear about a little over 10 feet away from me,” he said. “Then it saw me and I got a little spook. I wasn’t expecting to see that. I must have scared it or something because it started bluff-charging me.” 

He said he didn’t want to turn his back on it. His gun was cocked while he yelled at the bear, trying to get it to leave or calm down while he backed away.

“But then it started coming at me so I put a bullet in its skull, and it took a few more steps toward me and I emptied five more into it,” Tuiqalau said. “That’s when it turned around and ran off…Thankfully I shot it before I could get hurt.”

He said he called the cops after attempting to track it himself. JPD officers followed a blood trail, but failed to find the bear after the call came in at around 3 a.m. Saturday.

Officers advised the Alaska Wildlife Troopers and Alaska Department of Fish and Game of the situation. A trooper and officials from Fish and Game arrived six hours later, but heavy rain made the bear untraceable. There were also pockets of brush nearby and the bear could have crossed the Mendenhall River.

Department of Public Safety spokesperson Austin McDaniel wrote in an email Monday that troopers couldn’t locate an injured or deceased bear and are no longer actively looking.

“The shooting appears to be a lawful use of force to defend a person’s life or property,” McDaniel wrote.

The investigation is closed, he said.

McDaniel said no injuries were reported. He added that Fish and Game determines if a big game animal is an ongoing public safety risk.

Carl Koch, Juneau’s area management biologist at Fish and Game, said if the bear is alive, it’s unlikely to pose a risk unless cornered or provoked. 

“You want to give them space,” Koch said in an interview Monday. “We can’t do a lot more than look as hard as we did and wait for other reports.” 

He said it’s a 50/50 chance the bear is still alive. 

“If he struck the bear in the manner that he intended, and I have no way of knowing, then it was probably likely to have caused significant injury,” Koch said.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/0df355_abf0cc012e904052b3d4aada84bdef42/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

A black bear that frequently visited the neighborhood of Meadow Lane in the Mendenhall Valley was caught on a neighbor's home security footage on Sept. 5, 2026. (Courtesy of Doug Jones)

If someone sees an injured bear, especially with a wounded head, chest, neck, or shoulders, they should contact Fish and Game at 907-465-4265. The bear is a large adult, based on residents’ descriptions. If someone finds a dead bear, they should call the same phone number. In the event of an emergency, Koch said to call 911. 

Per state statute, if the bear is found deceased, the shooter will be responsible for skinning the bear, salvaging the skull and claws, and then must turn the carcass in to the state.

Koch said that in his 13 years of responding to bear-human conflicts, there’s typically one to two bear shootings every summer reported to the department. There have been three documented in Juneau this year.

The first was in July, when a yearling bear was shot out of a tree downtown. It was euthanized due to suffering mortal wounds. The Alaska Wildlife Troopers are still investigating this case. 

The second conflict was earlier this month, Koch said, with the homeowner acting in self-defense.

“It was dark out and (they) went in the backyard, and a bear came up behind them and charged them, so they shot it while they were picking up their trash using a small-caliber handgun similar to the situation this weekend,” he said.

Koch said this bear’s body was also unable to be recovered, and it was assumed to be a miss or to have sustained a minor injury. No charges or citations have been issued in any of the three incidents.

All involved unsecured trash.

“He could have done a better job securing the garbage,” Koch said regarding the incident Saturday. “I spoke with the person who shot the bear and emphasized ways to do that, and to secure any other attractants on the property.”

State law defines that someone may take game in defense of life or property if not brought about by improper disposal of garbage or similar attractants, and if all other means to protect life and property “are exhausted” before the animal is killed. It’s up to the Alaska Wildlife Troopers to enforce this. Penalties include the loss of a hunting license, fines and criminal charges. 

Tuiqalau told the Independent that his only plan to better secure his trash is to rebuild the knocked-down fence to be bigger and stronger around his non-bear-resistant trash cans. The structure is currently set up as a bear shed with wire netting and is six by six feet. He was asked what he would do if another bear still came.

“Then I’ll shoot it,” he said.

The bear was defending the garbage when it charged, according to Koch. 

Tuiqalau said he was unaware of whether he needed to invest in an electric fence, how to set it up, and how much it would cost. He added bears have gotten into his trash before, but were easily scared away. He said he wouldn’t have shot this bear if it hadn’t charged him.

“But I just don’t want a bear outside in my yard,” he added.

Koch said Fish and Game has electric fences the department loans out to prevent wildlife conflict. A page on the department’s website explains how to install them and state officials can also give advice. The website also details what to do if conflict with a bear arises.

Koch reminded the Juneau community that it’s the time of year bears are getting ready to hibernate. 

“They're biologically driven to put on those last pounds,” he said. “The salmon runs are slowing down; if people don't secure stuff, bears will come around, and they're going to get food rewards. People think that they hibernate as soon as it gets cold enough outside, or there’s a little bit of snow — and it’s just not true.” 

Koch said the reason bears typically hibernate in colder months is due to a lack of food and high calorie burn, “but if they can get all the garbage, et cetera that they want, they are known to sometimes delay hibernation.” He added it’s also too early to put out bird feeders.

He said that if a bear is killed for getting into garbage — but someone continues not to secure their trash — another one will come along and likely suffer the same fate. 

Koch stressed now is the time for everybody to try and “batten down the hatches.”

“If you hear a noise outside, it's up to you whether you go outside with a gun or you call the police and ask for assistance,” he said.

Koch said people have the right to defend themselves, but to be cautious since shots fired in residential neighborhoods pose danger to nearby properties and people.

“If you think it's a bear and it's not causing severe damage — there’s options,” Koch said.

He said even if someone is calm and has great aim, the bullets can still go through and through. Koch stressed calling 911 if there’s an emergency — like a bear breaking into a house, car, or other immediate threats to life and safety. He said the police have a way to reach Fish and Game after hours.

“Most people want to do the right thing and, again, you have a right to defend yourself,” he said. “But if a bear’s on your trash can, maybe don’t walk outside less than 10 feet away from it. Yell out the window, maybe wait it out, clean it up and let us know what’s going on.”

Tuiqalau said he felt he had no other choice and was worried about his newborn inside.

“I’m not sure what else I was supposed to do when it was coming right at me,” he said.

• Contact Jasz Garrett at jasz@juneauindependent.com or (907) 723-9356.