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DNA shows Bell shot bear in defense of
friend |
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December 22, 2011 |
Forensic evidence has revealed that the bullet
fired by 20-year-old Ty Bell, formerly of
Bonners Ferry, killing his friend and hunting
companion, Steve Stevenson, 39, Winnemucca,
Nevada, was not a wild shot, but was one of many
fired by the young man in an effort to save his
friend from a wounded bear.
The Lincoln County, Montana, Sheriff's office
yesterday disclosed DNA evidnce providing
conclusive proof that the shot, from the 30-06
bullet that killed Stevenson, fired by Bell,
went through the bear before hitting the man who
died.
"I hate seeing this in the news again," said
Bell's mom, Candy Bell, "but it is a good
thing."
For the first time in many years, Ty isn't
coming to Boundary County to visit his family,
staying instead at his home in Winnemucca to see
how the incident plays out. While no criminal
charges have been laid as yet, her son, Candy
said, is living in limbo.
"Ty is living with what happened every day," she
said. "He knows he made a mistake in identifying
the bear, but he knows he did the right thing
after the mistake was made."
Rather than leave a wounded bear to suffer, he
and Steve tracked the bear and waited more than
two hours before going in to finish the kill.
The grizzly, no less dangerous because it's an
endangered species, wasn't dead, and he did what
bears wounded bears do, he attacked.
If there's a hero in this incident, it would be
Steve, because as the bear went after Ty, Steve
put himself in harm's way and shifted the bear's
attention from his young friend to himself, and
he stood to face the ferocious attack.
Ty Bell reacted, too, emptying his rifle into
the bear and then grabbing up the rifle Steve
dropped and emptying it as well.
He killed the bear. While it's proven that the
shot that killed Steve was fired from Ty's
rifle, it's now clear that Ty didn't miss ...
the shot he fired went through the bear before
it lodged in Steve Stevenson's chest.
Based on the evidence gleaned thus far, Ty has
been told that he will not face federal charges
for shooting an endagered species, and the
threat of local homicide charges look less
likely based on the new evidence.
The Lincoln County sheriff Roby Bowe aid he's
not recommending such charges, calling this a
terrible tragedy ... a terrible accident. The
decision as to whether local charges are
warranted, he said, belongs to Lincoln County,
Montana, prosecutor Bernard Cassidy.
Ty isn't coming home to Bonners Ferry this
Christmas; as it's his decision that he doesn't
want to visit what he's going through on his
mother or on any of his family or friends who
live here ... he's staying in Winnemucca.
"I wish he could come home," Candy said. |
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