Coyote survives state shooting, limps back to Atwater Village yards

A coyote that bit a 16-month-old child in Atwater Village survived a lethal shot by state wildlife officials on Oct. 16 and reappeared in the neighborhood with a pronounced limp. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed on Tuesday that the animal was the same one responsible for the recent attack. Officers had previously announced the coyote was dead after failing to locate its body near the 3300 block of Glenhurst Avenue.

Residents reported seeing the injured animal in their yards and on streets in the days following the initial shooting. The only visible change was the coyote's limp. Wildlife officials stated that a K9 unit could not track the animal after the first engagement. A statement from the agency noted that officers believed the coyote had succumbed to its injuries based on the evidence available at the time.

The animal had been a nuisance in the area since January. Neighbors said a local man began feeding the coyote, leading to its frequent presence around homes day and night. Multiple residents described the animal as a hazard. One resident said he had to yell at the coyote as it approached him. Another resident said he watched the animal chase his cat into a tree. Officials last month indicated that the person who allegedly fed the coyote could face a criminal charge.

State and federal officers returned to the neighborhood early Tuesday morning after new reports that the coyote was still alive. They found the animal and euthanized it due to the continued public safety threat. DNA samples collected from the animal confirmed it was the one that bit the toddler. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Department of Agriculture handled the final capture.

Rich Dean, who lives about one block from the shooting site, exchanged messages with a state wildlife lieutenant regarding the coyote. Dean told the lieutenant he was one of the officers who shot the animal but noted they had not found the body. Dean sent videos of the coyote to the officer via text message earlier this month. On Monday, Dean messaged the lieutenant that the coyote was in a crawlspace at a construction site. The lieutenant requested a map pin, which Dean provided.

Dean expressed frustration after learning the coyote was finally killed on Tuesday. He said neighbors had complained to various agencies for months without resolution. Residents began discussing taking the animal to a sanctuary after realizing it had survived the first attempt. Dean said the government failed the community and the animal. He added that officials could have been straight with residents about their uncertainty regarding the coyote's death.

The coyote's presence in the neighborhood drew complaints for several months before the toddler's bite. The incident prompted a multi-agency response that spanned from the initial report to the final euthanasia. The timeline included the January feeding reports, the October shooting, the reappearance, and the Tuesday resolution. The process involved state wildlife officers, federal officers, and local residents documenting the animal's movements.