A tragic and extraordinarily rare wildlife encounter resulted in the death of a 67-year-old New Mexico resident after an American black bear entered his home on the Navajo Nation.
The victim, Benjamin Halona, was fatally mauled on the afternoon of August 20 in the rural community of Crystal, New Mexico. Halona, a former wildland firefighter who had been recovering from health issues that severely restricted his mobility, was home alone when the animal gained access to the residence.
According to family members, Halona’s stepson returned home from the post office to find the front door open and the bear standing inside. The stepson managed to retreat to a bedroom, bar barricade the entrance with furniture, and hide in a closet crawlspace while calling 911.
Halona’s sister and niece arrived shortly after and honked their vehicle’s horn, successfully scaring the animal out of the home.
Responding officers from the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife located and neutralized the aggressive bear in nearby woods shortly after the attack. Local authorities noted that extreme drought and a lack of natural food sources have heightened human-bear encounters across the region.
