A Montana man was killed by a grizzly bear while biking on U.S. forest land in Montana on Wednesday, according to local officials.
Brad Treat, 38, was attacked in the afternoon while mountain biking with another man near West Glacier National Park, according to a statement from the Flathead County Sheriff?s Office. Treat, of West Glacier, Mont., was a Law Enforcement Officer with the U.S. Forest Service.
?It appears they likely surprised the bear and Treat was taken off his bike by the bear,? the sheriff?s office said in a statement.
Treat's companion was able to get away from the area and call for help. He was not injured during the attack, according to the statement.
Treat was pronounced dead at the scene.
The sheriff's department offer their condolences to Treat's family and said he was an "integral" part of the community.
?Brad was an integral member of our area law enforcement team and a friend to us all,? the sheriff?s department said in a statement. ?Our thoughts and prayers are with his family tonight.?
Before Wednesday, there had been 10 bear-related human deaths in Glacier since the park was created in 1910. The last was in 1998, when three bears killed and partially ate a park vendor employee while he was hiking.
The area has been closed to the public while officials investigate.
So sad.
