California mountain lion attack in 20 years leaves 1 man dead and his brother injured

A weekend trip to the Northern California woods turned tragic for two brothers when they were attacked by a mountain lion, resulting in one brother's death and severe facial injuries for the other, as reported by authorities.

This marked the first fatal cougar attack in the state in 20 years, according to California officials.

The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon while the brothers, aged 21 and 18, were searching for shed deer antlers near the El Dorado National Forest, approximately 52 miles northeast of Sacramento, authorities stated.

The surviving teenager dialed 911 around 1:13 p.m. PT, informing responders of the cougar attack and his separation from his older brother, as detailed in a statement from the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office. Upon arrival at the scene near Georgetown by 1:34 p.m., sheriff's deputies and paramedics found the injured teenager and began providing immediate medical assistance.

Additional deputies dispatched to the area initiated a search for the teenager's brother and discovered him nearby, lying motionless on the ground with the mountain lion positioned between them and the critically injured man, according to the sheriff's office.

"Deputies discharged their firearms to scare off the mountain lion and facilitate medical aid," stated the sheriff's office.

Unfortunately, by the time they reached the victim, he had succumbed to his injuries, authorities confirmed. The surviving teenager was transported to a local hospital for treatment, with no immediate update on his condition provided.

Game wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and an El Dorado County trapper conducted a search for the mountain lion in the area, leading to its dispatch, and the animal's body was collected for further examination, per the sheriff's office.

DNA samples retrieved from the scene matched those of the deceased lion, officials reported.

Mountain lion attacks on humans are infrequent in California, with the last recorded fatal attack occurring in January 2004, according to state fish and wildlife officials. The last fatal attack in El Dorado County happened in April 1994.

Since 1890, fewer than 50 mountain lion attacks on humans have been reported in California, resulting in six fatalities, officials noted.

In February, a group of cyclists near Seattle, Washington, were hailed for saving a fellow rider's life by fending off a cougar during a trail attack. The incident occurred near Fall City, Washington, approximately 25 miles southeast of Seattle, leaving the injured rider hospitalized with serious injuries to her face, neck, and jaw. Four other cyclists were also injured while intervening to save her life.