Prince Albert police shot a large black bear out of concern for public safety after several residents were rushed out of a residential area near midnight on Monday, Oct. 3 and in the early hours of Tuesday, Oct. 4.

Officers discovered the bear in the 1300 block of Second Avenue West and followed it as it moved through the nearby residential area and into a yard on the 300 Block of 14th Street West.

Police evacuated the area and attempted to coax the bear out of the area. They shot the animal when those attempts were unsuccessful.

No officers or members of the public were injured.

Residents who spot wildlife inside City limits can call their local Ministry of Environment office. Last November, ministry conservation officers were called on to tranquilize and remove a Moose that broke through the custom windows at a Saskatoon school.

When asked why the Ministry of Environment was not called to remove the bear, a Prince Albert Police Service spokesperson said the decision to shoot the animal was made out of concern for public safety.