Mountain Lion Kills 21-Year-Old Man and Injures Brother in Northern California Attack

On Saturday March 24, a tragic incident occurred in a remote area of Northern California’s foothills, where a 21-year-old man was killed and his 18-year-old brother was injured by a mountain lion. The brothers were hunting for shed antlers near Georgetown in El Dorado County when the attack took place.

Brothers Attacked

The younger brother contacted the sheriff’s office at around 1:15 p.m. to report the attack and the fact that he was separated from his brother. When deputies arrived at the scene, they found the 18-year-old with traumatic injuries to his face and immediately began administering aid. Meanwhile, other deputies discovered the older brother lying on the ground with the mountain lion crouched over him.

Deputies' Response

Deputies took action by firing their service weapons to scare off the mountain lion, which was sitting between them and the victim. Unfortunately, they were unable to save the older brother.

Wildlife Department's Response

Wardens and Trappers from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with the El Dorado County Trapper, responded to the area and located the mountain lion. The big cat was eventually euthanized, thus ensuring the safety of the area.

Updates and Identifications

As of now, no updates have been provided regarding the condition of the younger brother and the names of the two victims have not been publicly disclosed.

Mountain Lion Encounter History

Georgetown, where the incident occurred, is a historic town with a population of just over 2,000 people, situated about 50 miles northeast of Sacramento. Notably, since the mid-80s, there have been nearly two dozen reported mountain lion attacks on humans, according to a verified list kept by the fish and wildlife department. However, the last fatal encounter was in 2004 in Orange County.