Bear Shot And Killed After Entering Connecticut Home: State Police

NORTH CANAAN, CT — A bear was shot and killed by state police Wednesday after it entered a home in northwest Connecticut

State police said that a preliminary investigation shows that, at 12:58 a.m. Wednesday, troopers from the Troop B barracks responded to a residence on Greene Avenue in North Canaan for a bear that had entered an occupied home.

Troopers located the bear near an entrance to the residence and as state police termed it, "dispatched" the animal.

A second bear then ran away into nearby woods, state police said.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was notified and responded to the scene to remove the bear, state police said.

Current DEEP policy pertaining to bears entering a residence "authorizes euthanasia as a response," state police said. Likewise, Public Act 23-77 authorizes a homeowner to take the same course of action under the circumstances outlined in the incident.

Read More: Bear Surprises Resident In Back Yard: Report

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Greene Avenue runs parallel to state Route 44 at a bend in the Housatonic River in North Canaan.

Number of black bears continues to rise in CT

The number of black bears in Connecticut continues to rise, expanding into more communities and triggering a growing number of conflicts with humans, according to a report released by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

The 2025 “State of the Bears” briefing outlines the agency’s efforts to manage the growing black bear population, estimated between 1,000 and 1,200 animals. The report highlights an increase in both bear sightings and encounters, including home break-ins and attacks on livestock, with state officials urging residents to remain vigilant and avoid attracting bears with unsecured food sources.

In 2024, bears were reported in 159 of Connecticut’s 169 towns and cities.

Bears are increasingly entering homes

The report documented more than 3,000 human-bear conflicts in 2024 alone, a number that has been steadily increasing since 2015. These incidents included 67 confirmed bear entries into homes — a rate significantly higher than neighboring states when adjusted for bear population size.

Officials emphasized that coexistence remains key, recommending measures such as removing bird feeders, securing trash, and installing electric fencing around vulnerable areas.

with reporting by Rich Kirby