A black bear spotted wandering near a Douglas County elementary school Monday morning is now being rescued and removed from a tree near Park Meadows Mall in Lone Tree.

Douglas County sheriff’s deputies first saw the bear on Maximus Drive near Acres Green Elementary School on Monday morning, the agency said in a post on X.

The bear was caught on camera sitting on the front porch of a home and later wandered south into Lone Tree, where emergency crews found it in a tree near the mall.

Police and fire crews are working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers to safely remove the bear, according to South Metro Fire Rescue.

Park Meadows Center Drive is closed and people should avoid the area, according to the fire department.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

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Originally Published: August 19, 2024 at 2:59 p.m.