Darsh Patel, the New Jersey hiker who was savaged to death by a black bear in September, took several images of the animal before he was attacked and killed.
According to media source, on September 21, 22-year old Rutgers University senior Darsh Patel and three friends were hiking in the state’s Apshawa Preserve when they realized a 300-pound black bear was following them.
(Photo: Darsh Patel / AP)
The group was aware of the danger, but with the bear still 100 feet away, Patel took out his phone and immediately snapped couple of photos. One of his friends also took pictures.
With just 15 feet closer, the group began running and were chased by the bear for several minutes before they split up.
For Patel, there was no escape.
His three friends did and one of them called 911. Responding police entered teh forest to search for the others. They found the bear behaving aggressively, circling Patel’s dead body. They killed it with two shotgun blasts.
The photos show the bear behind a fallen tree in the woods. Investigators say the phone was found with puncture marks from the bear.