1 Dead, 1 Injured In Cougar Attack In Washington State

NORTH BEND, Wash. — One man is dead and another has been injured in a cougar attack in Washington state, authorities said Saturday.

The two men were on a morning mountain bike ride in the foothills near North Bend when the attack occurred, King County Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Ryan Abbott said.

The cougar ran into the woods and officers with the Washington Department of Fish and Game are trying to track it, he said.

North Bend is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of Seattle. The injured victim, who is in his 40s, was airlifted to a hospital there with unspecified injuries.

A search and rescue team has been dispatched to recover the body of the deceased man.

KIRO-TV reported that the injured man called 911 shortly before 11 a.m. and shouted, “Can you hear me? Help!” and then the call hung up.

Authorities found the cougar standing over the body of the dead biker, the station reported.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the two victims were biking together or separately.

No further details were immediately available.