Bullet ricochets off house as neighbors shoot at ‘aggressive’ cougar, Oregon cops say

Gunshots rang out in an Oregon neighborhood when two people tried to shoot an “aggressive” cougar, deputies said.

Multiple people in Deschutes River Woods rushed to call 911 after hearing gunshots in their neighborhood on Sunday, July 17, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said.

Two people came face-to-face with a cougar in the neighborhood and started shooting at it, deputies said.

The cougar had been seen killing a deer earlier in the day. The neighbors were talking to each other near the dead deer.

“They observed the cougar in the bushes approximately 10 feet from them,” deputies said in a news release. “The cougar was acting aggressive toward them, so they both shot at the cougar.”

They did not strike the cougar, but a bullet ricocheted into a nearby home, deputies said. The bullet caused damage to the house, and both people were cited for criminal mischief, according to the sheriff’s office.

The cougar was later found hiding under a backyard porch.

“Based on safety concerns for those in the neighborhood and the large number of people in the area along the Deschutes River, the Sheriff’s Office contacted an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife tracker in order to locate the cougar,” deputies said.

The cougar was euthanized, according to the sheriff’s office.

What to do if you encounter a cougar

About 6,000 cougars roam Oregon, according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. They’re found throughout the state but have large concentrations in the Cascade Range and Blue Mountains.

More cougars are venturing into suburbs in northwest Oregon and Portland, according to Fish and Wildlife. Male cougars, also called mountain lions, can be very territorial, wildlife officials said.

If you see a cougar, wildlife officials say you should:

• Never approach the cougar.

• Show the animal you are human by looking big, waving your arms and being vocal.

• Don’t run away. It could trigger the cougar to chase you.

• Talk firmly and slowly back away.

• Don’t turn your back, and keep your eyes on the cougar.

• Be more assertive if the cougar doesn’t flee.

• If it attacks, fight back.

This story was originally published July 19, 2022 at 11:31 AM with the headline "Bullet ricochets off house as neighbors shoot at ‘aggressive’ cougar, Oregon cops say."