Monrovia Bear Family Captured After Attack on Woman

Wildlife officials apprehend mother bear and two cubs after incident left woman with minor injuries

Mar. 16, 2026 at 4:39am

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A family of bears, including a mother bear that swiped at a woman walking her dog, has been captured in Monrovia, California. The woman suffered minor injuries in the attack, but is expected to be okay. Wildlife officials spent hours trying to lure the bears from underneath a home before successfully apprehending the mother bear and her two cubs on Sunday evening.

Why it matters

Bear encounters in the Monrovia area are relatively rare, with residents expressing shock and sadness over the incident. The capture of the bear family has raised concerns about how wildlife officials will proceed, as the mother bear may be euthanized if determined to be the same one that attacked the woman.

The details

The encounter happened around 9:20 a.m. on Saturday near Oakglade and Ridgeside drives, when authorities say the woman suffered minor injuries when the bear swiped at her leg and scratched the back of her knee. After hours of attempting to lure the family from underneath a house, California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials captured the large bear and two cubs just after 6 p.m. on Sunday. Testing will be conducted to determine if the captured bear is the same one that attacked the woman.

  • The encounter between the woman and bear occurred around 9:20 a.m. on Saturday, March 15, 2026.
  • Wildlife officials spent hours on Sunday, March 16, 2026 trying to lure the bear family from underneath a home before capturing them just after 6 p.m.

The players

Ashlie Howie-Storms

A local resident who used to run a popular social media account documenting bear sightings in the neighborhood.

Henry Franco

A resident who said the bear family had been living under his home for at least two months and that he had been watching them since around the time they were born.

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What they’re saying

“We've been here 22 years, I think, and I don't recall a human-bear encounter that resulted in an injury. It really breaks our hearts, because that's not what happens here. We're all really cautious here.”

— Ashlie Howie-Storms

“I guess you could say I'm friends with the bear. They are wild animals, but we have to kinda share a world with them. Which is wonderful, because they're amazing creatures.”

— Henry Franco

What’s next

If testing concludes that the captured bear is the same one that attacked the woman, wildlife officials said it could be euthanized. Neighbors in Monrovia expressed hope that the bear family could instead be relocated to a safer location.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the delicate balance between human and wildlife populations, especially in urban areas. While bear encounters are rare in Monrovia, this attack has raised concerns about public safety and the proper way to handle situations where wild animals come into close contact with residents.