Bear traps mother, daughter in New Jersey nature reserve

Bear shot and killed at NJ nature preserve

A bear was shot on Monday after it trapped several people at a New Jersey nature preserve, the Essex County Sheriff's office said.

MILLBURN, N.J. - A bear was shot on Monday after it trapped several people including a mother and daughter at a New Jersey nature reserve, the Essex County Sheriff's office said.

Officials said after 11 a.m., a woman called the Sheriff's office saying she and her young daughter were trapped by a bear in a picnic area at the South Mountain Reservation.

"There were a lot of people in there, so they were trying to get us out," a parkgoer said.

Officers went to the reserve and led the mother, daughter, and other visitors out to safety — but that's when the bear showed up again.

"A second car pulled over and said 'guys, there's a bear', and we noticed just then that a bunch of the dogs were pulling the owners off the street," a Millburn resident said.

Officers tried to get the bear to go to the wooded area, but they say the bear moved towards them and left them no choice, but to shoot it.