Woman, young boy killed by polar bear in remote Alaska village

Alaska State Troopers say a polar bear attacked and killed a woman and a boy in a remote western Alaska village.

KTUU reported the attack happened around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in Wales, on the western tip of the Seward Peninsula.

Troopers said the bear entered the village and chased several residents before fatally attacking the woman and boy.

As the attack unfolded, troopers said a resident shot and killed the bear.

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The victims have not yet been identified as authorities work to notify family members.

Wales is a small, predominantly Inupiaq town of about 150 people, just over 100 miles northwest of Nome.

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According to the Anchorage Daily News, fatal polar bear attacks have been rare in Alaska's recent history.

In 1990, a polar bear killed a man farther north of Wales in the village of Point Lay. Biologists later said the animal showed signs of starvation.

Alaska scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey in 2019 found changes in sea ice habitat had coincided with evidence that polar bears’ use of land was increasing and that the chances of a polar bear encounter had increased.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Family of California attorney who died at Mexican resort on anniversary trip calls out suspicious behavior

The family of Orange County Deputy Public Defender Elliot Blair, who died in Mexico on Saturday in what his family says was a "brutal crime," has released its first statement on his death, including accusations of foul play and suspicious behavior by Mexican authorities.

Blair, 33, was celebrating his first wedding anniversary at Las Rocas Resort and Spa in Rosarito Beach with his wife, Kim, when he was killed. Mexican website Patrol 646 said he was intoxicated and fell to his death from a fourth-floor balcony. Still, the family denied that and said the tragic incident took place in an "open-air walkway located outside the front door of their room." They also said the incident did not occur off of "any balcony."

As of Tuesday night, the Blair family said it had received zero communication from Rosarito Beach police, their district attorney's office or any other Mexican officials besides a liaison to the coroner's office. Around 2 p.m. Monday, the messenger, a man, said he had been in contact with the medical examiner's office that performed the autopsy.

He indicated Blair's cause of death was "severe head trauma" and his case would be forwarded to the local DA's office to conduct a "possible homicide investigation." The man also said the toxicology report had not been completed yet.

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The statement said the family informed the man they will be hiring a private investigation firm and an independent forensic pathologist. They also said they would be conducting their own toxicology analysis.

"Due to the insufficiency of the investigation, the family feels compelled to conduct their own private investigation in search for the truth," the statement read.

A liaison with the funeral home suggested to Blair's family that his body be cremated, an ongoing suggestion since his death, according to the statement. A reason for the suggestion was not provided. 

The family insisted otherwise to conducting their investigation into his death.

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Though the family has not learned any information from Mexican authorities, they came across a news article that quoted Mexican authorities saying Blair's death appeared to be an "unfortunate accident," according to the statement.

"It is highly unfortunate that throughout this entire devastating ordeal, Kim, his loving wife, has been given multiple versions of what happened to Elliot," the statement read.

The couple had reportedly stayed at the resort on multiple occasions in the past five years, and had stayed in the same room on the third floor more than once. The family said Blair was "very familiar" with the resort layout, including its hallways and walkways.

They also said he was found in his underwear, sleeping tee shirt, and socks, and he was not intoxicated. They added that he was fluent in Spanish.

According to the family, little to no investigation has been conducted by the beach's police department. Patrol 646 reported staff from the State Attorney General’s office in Mexico took charge of the investigation and removal of the body.

The family's release ended with the following statement:

"Elliot was a brilliant attorney with a bright future. Elliot's smile was radiant and warmed the hearts of every person he came into contact with. Elliot had an innate ability to connect with people from all walks of life. Elliot was a loving husband, son and brother. Elliot's tragic, untimely, and suspicious death has left his family and community with a huge hole in their hearts that will never be repaired."

As of Wednesday night, over $106,000 was donated to a GoFundMe page aimed at helping his wife "with the cumbersome process involved in transporting Elliot's body from Mexico to the USA and dealing with all the red tape."

Fox News' Matt Finn contributed to this report.

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