A polar bear killed a mother and 1-year-old son after it went on a rampage in a remote Alaskan village

A young woman and her young son were killed by a polar bear when the animal entered their remote Alaskan village and chased several people, authorities said.

The incident happened around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in Wells, Alaska — the westernmost point of the American continent with an estimated population of about 170 people — when a polar bear reportedly entered the remote community, police said.

Investigators identified the victims Wednesday as Summer Miomik, 24, of St. Michael, and her son, Clyde Ongtowasruk. The attack on the mother and child happened near a school, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

“Initial reports indicate that a polar bear entered the community and chased multiple residents,” the agency said in a statement Tuesday after the attack. “The bear fatally attacked an elderly female and a young male.”

The bear was shot and killed by a local resident while attacking the victims, according to authorities.

A polar bear chased and killed a woman and a small boy when it entered a remote rural community in Alaska before a resident was able to shoot and kill the bear during the attack on January 17, 2023 in Wells, Alaska.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game

The investigation into the attack continues as “troopers and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game work to travel to Wells when weather conditions permit,” the Alaska Department of Public Safety confirmed.

“Poor weather conditions in the region and the lack of runway lights in Wells prevented troopers and Alaska Department of Fish and Game officials from reaching Wells,” the agency said in a statement Wednesday.

Polar bear attacks are very rare, but male polar bears can weigh 600 to 1,200 pounds and female polar bears range between 400 and 700 pounds, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Their average lifespan is about 25 years.

“The current and projected future decline in sea ice has led the US Fish and Wildlife Service to list polar bears as threatened under the ESA (Endangered Species Act) throughout their range,” according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. “Thinner ice and longer ice-free periods in the summer may reduce the amount of time polar bears have to hunt and lead to population declines.”