A coyote that attacked two young children at a shopping mall in University City has been euthanized, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).

The incident occurred on Tuesday, Nov. 25, in the parking lot of the Westfield UTC mall. A 3-year-old girl was bitten on the arm and taken to Rady Children’s Hospital for medical treatment. A second child was also treated at the same hospital.

A witness captured video of the coyote wandering through the mall shortly after the attacks. She told FOX 5/KUSI that moments earlier she had encountered a family whose 3-year-old daughter had been bitten on the arm.

According to reports, the coyote was later euthanized, CDFW officials confirmed.

Wildlife authorities collected DNA samples from both children and sent them to the CDFW forensics lab for analysis. With assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services, officers were able to locate the coyote whose DNA matched that of the animal responsible for the UTC attacks.

Officials advised the public to make loud noises to scare off coyotes in the event of an encounter and to closely supervise children and pets when these animals are nearby.

Information based on: FOX 5

 

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