Black bear kills Minnesota woman on island in Canada waters

Canadian authorities have released the name of a Minnesota woman that was killed by a Black Bear on Sunday at approximately 6:00PM.  Catherine Sweatt-Mueller, 62, of Maple Plain, was visiting her parents at a cabin on the Red Pine Island for a family reunion.  She went outside to check on her dogs that were barking and she never returned.  When the dogs returned, injured, Sweatt-Mueller’s parents called the police.

Officers searched the area and found a yearling bear standing over the woman’s body and shot it.  Another yearling and a sow were nearby in the brush, acting aggressively by making noises with their mouths and stomping, said Ontario Provincial Police Constable Jim Davis.

Minnesota wildlife biologist Andy Tri says a predatory attack by a black bear is “beyond extremely rare.”

Red Pine Island is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) northeast of International Falls, Minnesota.