ELLERBE — An investigation is underway in the county’s northern region.
According to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to the crossroads of Pressley Rankin Highway and U.S. 220 Business in Ellerbe after “some type of remains” were discovered.
When deputies and investigators arrived, they allegedly discovered “what appeared to be some type of feet.”
According to the sheriff’s office, the medical examiner’s office informed detectives that the feet are “consistent with those of a bear.”
While black bears are uncommon in this part of the state, many have been observed and killed in or near Richmond County.
Lee Berry, co-owner of Berry Patch, hit and killed a bear near Drowning Creek on the Richmond-Moore county border in late 2014. In 2022, another juvenile bear died after being injured on Long Drive in Rockingham.
According to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the bear hunting season in Richmond County runs from October 12 to January 1.
The sheriff’s office states that the inquiry is underway.