Ryan ChartrandAfter a mountain lion was spotted in downtown San Luis Obispo early Friday morning, police decided to kill it when it began running through residential areas.
At about 7:50 a.m., the San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD) received a call about a mountain lion sighting near City Hall and received word of another sighting not long after near Peach and Osos streets. Police said they were able to locate the animal at the 1,000 block of Walnut Street, coincidentally near the police station, when it began running through the backyards of houses along Walnut Street.
“SLO County Animal Control and State Fish and Game officials were contacted and asked to respond to assist the officers who were attempting to contain the animal,” a SLOPD press release said.
Police said the decision to kill the animal was made after considering the amount of vehicle and foot traffic nearby, as well as the proximity of the animal to the downtown area and schools, such as Old Mission Catholic School and Mission College Preparatory High School.
A SLOPD officer safely shot the animal from the roof of 1031 Walnut St. and Fish and Game took the mountain lion from there, estimating it to be 2 years old and 120 pounds, the press release said.