A black bear attacked a woman outside her home near Index, in Snohomish County, Washington, on Sunday, October 25, at about 7:50 a.m., the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) said in an official statement. The woman, an adult Index resident, was outside near the 49400 block of Index Galena Road, close to Highway 2, when the encounter happened, according to Sultan police reporting carried by The Seattle Times. WDFW officers went to the scene and opened an investigation.
Source: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife statement, Oct. 25, 2026
The woman was walking her dog and taking out the trash when the bear attacked her from behind, knocked her to the ground, and bit and clawed her, KOMO News reported, citing WDFW. She managed to get back inside her home and call authorities, and medics took her to a local hospital, where she was expected to stay overnight with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, according to WDFW information reported by KOMO and KORD. WDFW Lt. Erik Olson told KOMO the woman did nothing wrong to provoke the attack, saying: “This is incredibly rare. I've been doing this 22 years, and I can count on one hand the number of attacks I've seen like this.”
Source: KOMO News, Oct. 25-26, 2026
Search for the bear and her cub — stay inside if you see them
WDFW officers spent several hours on Sunday searching for the bear using hounds and other tools, and a trap was set near the scene, KOMO and KORD reported. Officers at the scene also observed what may have been the bear's cub. Sultan police urged residents to remain alert, not to approach the animals, and to stay indoors and report any sighting of the mother bear and cub to the Sultan police non-emergency line at 425-407-3999 or to WDFW at 360-902-2936, according to police information reported by The Seattle Times.
Source: Sultan Police Department, via The Seattle Times / Focal News, Oct. 25, 2026
WDFW says black bears generally avoid people, but in the fall they are drawn to human-provided food as they prepare for winter — including garbage cans, pet and livestock food, bird feeders, orchards and barbecue grills. The department advises residents to secure those attractants, make noise and leash pets while hiking, back away slowly if a bear approaches, and never run from a bear. An update is expected when more information is available, WDFW said.
Source: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife statement, Oct. 25, 2026