A polar bear mauled a woman and child to death in Alaska, officials said.
Alaska State Troopers said they received a call about a polar bear attack at about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Preliminary reports indicate a polar bear entered a community in Wells and chased several residents, according to Alaska State Troopers.
A resident allegedly shot and killed the bear as it attacked the pair.
The names of the victims have not been released. Officials said that notification of next of kin is still underway.
Wells is located at the tip of western Alaska. Officials from the state Department of Fish and Game are planning to travel to the remote area as weather conditions allow to investigate the incident.
Polar bear killing is rare in the Americas. According to a study published by The Wildlife SocietyThere were only six polar bear attacks in the US between 1870-2014.
