On Wednesday, an Alaska State Trooper and a representative from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game were able to land in Wales, Alaska to investigate the polar bear attack that left a young mother and her child dead on Tuesday, in what was described by Must Read Alaska sources as an extremely gory scene in an attack that went on for some time near the entrance to the school in that remote village.
The bear had chased other residents in the village during a blinding ground storm, and then came upon Summer Myomick, 24, and her son, Clyde Ongtowasruk, age 1, as the two were walking from the school to the clinic. Myomick was from St. Michael, 232 miles away, but split her time between the two communities.
The mauling took place near the Kingikmiut School front door. The bear had also tried to enter the school at one point and the principal slammed the door shut before the bear could get in, had all the blinds shut in the building, and kept everyone away from windows. People inside the school were not able to save the two mauling victims because the bear was an immediate threat and there were no adequate weapons inside the school.
After the mauling, the polar bear was shot and killed by a Wales resident who had a large-caliber firearm and took the bear down while it was consuming its prey, Must Read Alaska has learned.
Troopers and Alaska Department of Fish and Game were able to get to Wales after weather improved. The runway lights were out in Wales, limiting the ability of pilots to get into the village, due to the approximately five hours of actual daylight this week in that village, which is the farthest-west community on the North American continent. Wales is located on the Seward Peninsula and facing Little Diomede Island, 26.5 miles to the west.
The remains of the young mother and child were sent to the medical examiner. Fish and Game is assisting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as polar bears are federally managed as a marine mammal. Officials took samples from the bear for a necropsy, which may determine if the bear was hungry, rabid, injured, or was just an aggressive predator.
At this time of year, most polar bears are out on the sea ice hunting seals. There is no lack of sea ice off of Wales at this time of year, but many liberal news outlets are suggesting that the bear attack is a result of climate change. This attack is the first reported in Alaska for over three decades. The last attack was in Point Lay, in 1990, when a 28-year-old man was killed while walking in the village, which is 300 miles north of Wales.
People inside the school were not able to save the two mauling victims because the bear was an immediate threat and there were no adequate weapons inside the school.
All of you people that hate everything and everyone connected to firearms, re read that line. No one had a gun and therefore they were unable to render assistance. Like them or hate them, there is a need for firearms.
Arm a school because of one very rare incident? Your solution would lead to someone’s death.
Unlike a bear attack?
Science and statistics Paul. In there is your answer.
There are other reasons to arm a school. A drunk parent comes in this satisfied with a teacher, I’ve seen a disgruntled mother come in and kick a teacher in the belly and said this is for what you did to my kid. The teacher hadn’t done anything but the parent was irate. Factor in racial tensions and you could have a recipe for deadly violence. I’ve seen drunk people kill each other in the village, thinking they won’t eventually get to the schools not being responsible.
Good point Greg. And your right alcohol should never be sold to a native.
Let’s hope this is snark, but coming from this source it’s likely not IMO.
Not for indigenous people. They are trying to decolonize.
Wow I’m shocked and sickened. What a scary way for a little baby boy to die. Prayers for his and his mommy’s souls!!
Most guns in the school would have just pissed it off. Troopers could have used the helicopter out of Nome. Icing may have been an issue. On a side note, Gamble is out of power and is froze up. Peeps sheltering at the school. Ongoing for 2 days now.
No guns. No helicopters. No schools. Remember Greg they are trying to decolonize.
Sick, mentally-ill, brain-washed climate activists will be holding a memorial service for Thalarctos maritimus.
Sick? What?
Climate change activists are afflicted by mental illness. Yes, SICK!
I’ll be interested to hear the condition of the bear. Specifically if it was sick or injured. Was it starving?
They are aggressive, but prefer easier prey when possible.
They prefer a high-fat marine mammal diet.
Prefer but they are opportunists and are often found eating garbage. In Gamble they would come in at night trying to grab a dog or whatever else they can find to eat. You didn’t dare venture outside without a gun. Consider the fact that this time of year it gets daylight around 10:30 in the morning and dark by 2:30 or 3:00 in the afternoon, there are a lot of dark hours to contend with.
The woman was living temporarily at the school which doubles as a community center like most schools do in the bush. People in the school tried to run the bear off with snow shovels but obviously that had no effect. The bear emerged in the middle of a snow storm with low visibility and presumably felt safe entering a village under those conditions.
A hungry, loose polar bear in a snowstorm is a nightmare scenario. Even if armed, it could catch from behind. Eskimos fear Maritimus.
Not for indigenous people. They are trying to decolonize.
Why would a native woman be living at a school? I thought the indigenous people were decolonizing.
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