Hiker’s camera captures photos of 300 lbs creature that ended up killing him!

Per reports, photos taken before the brutal attack showed the 300 lbs ‘creature’ approaching a group of hikers on September 21. The five photos released by authorities were from 22-year-old Patel’s phone, a student who was mauled by the ‘creature’ shortly after the photos were taken, according to Lt. Riciardi. Patel’s phone had a puncture mark from the bear’s teeth.

According to reports, Patel and four friends were walking in the preserve that afternoon when they were met by a man and woman coming from the opposite direction. The pair warned the group that a bear (SEE PHOTO) was trailing them. The group decided to walk further into the woods, and stopped when the black bear was 300 feet away. The photos in the phone show that the bear was behind a log 100 feet away when the group stopped.

A sixth photo was from a friend’s phone, who was standing next to Patel. Only six pictures were taken by the group. When the bear kept approaching, the group turned back, but it caught up to them. They split up and ran when it was within 15 feet, the survivors told investigators. Patel was last seen climbing a rock formation screaming at his friends to keep running, the bear right behind him. He’d lost one shoe at one point. The four survivors fled the woods and called 911.

Patel’s body was recovered by emergency responders about four hours later. The bear was still in the area, and it was eventually shot and killed by an officer. Autopsy confirmed that Patel had been mauled by the bear. Human remains were found in the bear’s stomach and esophagus, and human blood and tissue underneath its claws. Patel’s death is the first confirmed “death by bear” case in the state. However, experts maintained that the attack on Patel could still be considered one in a million. Dear readers, we are republishing this story in light of recent reports that suggest there’s been a spike in bear attacks across the U.S.