KARNS CITY, Pa. — A Karns City man is facing charges after police say he illegally shot a bear, then lied about it.
A criminal complaint alleges that police were called to Thomas Risinger’s home around 11 p.m. on June 6. Initially, he said he heard a gunshot, then found an alive but injured bear on his back porch.
The responding game warden had to euthanize the bear because of the severity of its injuries.
While at Risinger’s home, the complaint states the warden noticed there were live rifle cartridges by the bear’s head and no trail of blood that indicated the animal was shot somewhere else then ran to the porch.
The warden then questioned Risinger about his original story. The complaint says Risinger eventually confessed to shooting the bear after seeing the animal was eating from a container of bird seed, then gave the gun he used to a neighbor.
The complaint states Risinger yelled at the bear twice. He fired his rifle after the bear stood up when he yelled the second time, which Risinger “interpreted as a sign of aggression.”
Risinger also admitted to being on parole and not being allowed to have a firearm, the complaint states.
Online court records show Risinger is charged with unlawful killing of big game, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and possession of a firearm.
He’s being held at the Butler County Prison on $100,000 bail.
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