Bear finally comes down from tree in Renton after 11 hours, then scampers up another one

RENTON, Wash. -- It was a long day and night Wednesday for both a black bear and state Fish & Wildlife officers.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife was called to the scene when a black bear was spotted up in a tree near Highlands Elementary School in Renton. Students were kept inside for a while as a precaution.

But officers spent all day and all night waiting for the bear to come down. Finally, shortly after 10 p.m., the bear came down, but remained around the trunk of the tree. Fish & Wildlife officers tried to chase it away by releasing one of their dogs, but the bear simply scampered up another tree.

At about 11:30 p.m., the officers were setting up a net around the tree and appeared to be preparing to tranquilize the bear, so that it would fall out of the tree and they could cart it off and release it in a rural area.

The bear was in a tree next to Highlands Park and Neighborhood Center, which is about a block from Highlands Elementary.