Cop shoots, kills coyote that attacked mom, child

NEW JERSEY (FOX 5 NY) - A police officer in Fairfield shot and killed a coyote that attacked and injured a mother and her 4-year-old son as they walked through a northern New Jersey park.

The attack occurred shortly before 7 p.m. Thursday in Hollywood Avenue Park.

The 37-year-old Fairfield woman was pushing her son in a stroller when another pedestrian told her a coyote was directly behind her.

When the woman turned around, the coyote lunged at her. The mom fell to the ground and the stroller tipped over before the coyote bit the woman on the back of her leg and bit the child on his right leg.

The mom got up, righted the stroller and tried to flee.

The coyote lunged at her again but then ran into a wooded area.

An officer spotted the coyote nearly two hours later and began to aggressively approach him.

The officer fired several shots from his patrol rifle, killing the coyote.

There were reports of a dog attacked by a coyote the same day and residents reporting a large number of coyotes behind their homes.

“The Fairfield Police Department is still cautioning all residents in the area of Big Piece Road and all those who use the recreation complex thatthey still need to exercise great caution when walking around their yards or in the park” said Chief Anthony G. Manna.

“The police department intends to deploy officers with rifles in the park and at several scheduled events taking place at the community pooland a nearby school to assure the safety of the public as best as we can” said the chief.

With the Associated Press