11 yr old armed and practiced with a pump shot gun shoots & kills attacking Grizzly in Alaska

According to Elliot’s father’s, Lucas Clark, interview with JuneauEmpire.com, Elliot was walking through the woods with his family on the way to a fishing hole near Juneau, AK on June 18th. He was with his Uncle, his uncle’s father, a cousin and three dogs. Elliot was third in line on the trail behind his two elders. His uncle and him were the only ones armed.

A bear came out of the woods and charged the party, knocking over the first two men who’s guns were slung over their shoulders. Elliot, who’s pump action shot gun was in his hands, took quick action and shot the bear with bird shot.

“He was carrying it in his hands rather than on his shoulder. That was the problem with the other ones, when the bear came at his uncle, he had his rifle on his shoulder and the bear was very close, so he couldn’t get it off in time,” Lucas Clark said (via interview from JuneauEmpire.com interview)

Timeline of the Takedown:

• The First Shot did not slow the bear
• Second Shot hit him in the nose and neck
• Third Shot hit him in the shoulder and back dropping it to the ground

 The bear was reportedly then so close that it had gun shot burns on its nose.

• Fourth Shot was a “kill shot”

“As the bear slid past him and came to a stop, he put a kill shot in him,” Lucas Clark said.

• Fifth Shot , delivered by the Uncle, was to ensure the bears death and the parties safety

The family had seen bears in the area recently and were armed to protect themselves. 11 yr old Elliot Clark had a lot of target practice and gun safety.

The Alaska State Troopers investigated the shooting under the Defense of Life or Property 

According to, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

“If You Kill a Bear in Defense of Life or Property (DLP)

You may kill a bear in defense of your life or property if you did not provoke an attack or cause a problem by negligently leaving human or pet food or garbage in a manner that attracts bears and if you have done everything else you can to protect your life and property (5 AAC 92.410)….

Bears killed in defense of life or property belong to the state. If you kill a bear you must remove the hide from the carcass and must also salvage the skull. You must give both the hide, with claws attached, and the skull to Alaska Dept. of F&G.” 

There has been a string of at least 7 bear attacks and bear incidents in Alaska in June 2017:

• 2 Brown Bear Attacks In 1 Day Injure 2 Men in Alaska
• 2nd Death by Black Bear in 2 Days in Alaska | 27-Year-Old Woman Stalked While Working
• Black Bear Kills 17-Year Old Boy During Race in Anchorage, AK Yesterday