Deadly Black Bear Attack Shocks North Carolina’s Outer Banks: Multiple Fatalities Reported
June 3, 2025 — Outer Banks, NC — In a tragic and unprecedented event, a black bear attack in the Outer Banks has claimed the lives of four people, including two state wildlife officials, leaving the local community in shock and raising serious questions about human-wildlife safety along North Carolina’s coast.
The incident occurred early Monday morning in the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, a popular destination for birdwatchers, campers, and families enjoying the start of the summer season. According to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), the black bear involved in the attacks was a mature male estimated to weigh over 400 pounds — larger than typical bears found in the region.
Authorities say the bear likely made its way to the barrier islands by swimming across the Pamlico Sound from the mainland. While black bears are known to be strong swimmers and occasionally appear on the Outer Banks, deadly attacks are extremely rare — making Monday’s events all the more alarming.
Sequence of Events
At approximately 5:45 a.m., campers at the refuge reported hearing “horrific screaming” and the sound of tearing canvas. Two visitors from Wilmington, identified as 32-year-old Casey Monroe and 29-year-old Peter Handley, were found dead near their tent. Investigators believe the bear attacked them while they were sleeping. Attempts to scare off the bear by nearby campers using air horns and flashlights were unsuccessful.
Within 90 minutes, two wildlife officers — Sergeant Brian Keller, 45, and Officer Dana Singh, 38 — arrived on the scene in response to multiple 911 calls. According to official reports, the officers attempted to track and tranquilize the bear, but were ambushed in dense brush. Both were killed in the ensuing struggle before backup could arrive.
The bear was later located and euthanized by a specialized wildlife response team using a helicopter and thermal imaging equipment. Officials confirmed the bear was tagged previously in Tyrrell County and had shown no prior history of aggression.
State and Federal Response
Governor Elaine Carter declared a state of emergency in Dare County by noon Monday and ordered all Outer Banks wildlife areas temporarily closed to the public.
“This is a dark day for North Carolina,” she said at a press conference. “We have lost brave public servants and innocent civilians in a senseless and shocking act of nature. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service are assisting in the investigation, which includes reviewing bear tracking data and assessing whether environmental changes — such as development, drought, or climate shifts — contributed to the bear’s unusual migration and aggression.
Unanswered Questions
Local residents are struggling to make sense of the tragedy. “We’ve seen bears on trail cams, but they never bothered anyone,” said Dana Hartley, a resident of Rodanthe. “You’d never think something like this could happen out here — especially not on Pea Island.”
Black bears are native to much of eastern North Carolina, particularly in the dense forests of Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington counties. While sightings on the Outer Banks aren’t unprecedented, they are rare — and attacks are virtually unheard of.
“This is an extreme outlier,” said Dr. Paul Landers, a carnivore ecologist at the University of North Carolina. “Black bears typically avoid humans. For one to attack multiple people, something had to have gone seriously wrong — injury, starvation, or possibly a neurological condition like rabies.”
Officials have not ruled out the possibility of disease and are awaiting full necropsy results.
A Community in Mourning
Flags in Manteo and Kill Devil Hills are flying at half-mast. Memorials have begun forming outside the NCWRC field office in Columbia, where flowers, candles, and handwritten notes have been placed in honor of Keller and Singh. Both had served the agency for over a decade.
The families of Monroe and Handley have requested privacy, though friends described them as “avid campers and nature lovers” who “died doing what they loved.”
Moving Forward
Governor Carter has called for an immediate review of wildlife safety protocols, including bear monitoring and emergency response measures on the barrier islands.
“We must adapt to the changing realities of wildlife behavior and protect both our citizens and our ecosystems,” she said.
In the meantime, the Outer Banks remains under increased patrol, with armed rangers and drone surveillance sweeping remote areas for signs of other potentially displaced or aggressive wildlife.
Though life in this coastal paradise will resume, many locals say things won’t ever feel quite the same.
“We love nature,” said longtime resident Joel Greaves. “But now we’ll be looking over our shoulders a little more.”
