HERRIMAN, Utah — Herriman police shot and killed a Mountain Lion earlier this week after a man found the wild cat eating one of his sheep.
On Tuesday night, Brian Proctor went outside to feed his sheep when he saw a gruesome sight.
"I came outside to feed them," he remembered. "Brought out a flashlight with me and then a pocket knife because, you know, we've been nervous because we've heard about the mountain lion earlier this week."
When he saw one of his lambs being devoured by the lion, he knew it was time to take action.
"I just saw the Cougar's eyes just staring right back at me and hissing at me, and I had to do a double take," Proctor said.
Proctor immediately called officers from the Herriman Police Department. They were already in the area and arrived quickly, shooting and killing the cat.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources backed up the actions of the police officers, saying they made the right choice.
"They made the right choice by DWR policy, if there's a mountain lion that's killing livestock, it's within the rights of either the division or the landowner, the livestock owner to take that lion," explained Scott Root with DWR.
Root said the year-old mountain lion was first spotted in the area on Saturday night and was a red flag to DWR experts because the wild animal was hanging around a residential area.
"We're not out to kill mountain lions," Roots said. "We love mountain lions, we love deer, we love all the wildlife...We don't like to kill animals, but in this case, it was warranted."
Brian Proctor's wife, Brooke, grew up on the Herriman property and said her family has always owned sheep.
"The fear of foxes and coyotes and stuff like that," she said. "But we've never had a mountain lion encounter until last night."
Although the Proctor family is mourning the loss of their lamb, they're grateful no people were harmed.
"I'm okay to part with one of the sheep," Brian reflected. "It could have been a lot worse, it could have been child because I mean, we have kids about that same size, four or five, you know, running around this neighborhood."
When it comes to staying safe around mountain lions, the National Parks Service says there are four things to keep in mind.
Stay calm, hold your ground or back away slowly, NEVER try to run away. Running triggers the lion's instinct to chase. It's recommended to stand tall and make eye contact in an attempt to intimidate the wild animal.
It's also advised to not approach the lion or young kittens nearby.
If you see a predator in your neighborhood, DWR asks that you let them know immediately.
