In Sevierville, Tennessee, a homeowner shot a black bear that broke into his kitchen through a screen door on Matt Road around 1:30 PM on Sunday. The bear fled but remained on the property, prompting the homeowner to use a shotgun. The bear had previously broken into an outbuilding on the same property.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) investigated and found no violations, noting that the homeowner acted to protect his safety. TWRA stated that a bear entering a home would typically be captured and euthanized under their human-bear conflict guidelines.

The area has ongoing issues with bears accessing unsecured trash, leading to break-ins. TWRA urges residents to secure attractants like garbage and pet food to prevent bear conflicts, with more details at BearWise.org.