GEORGETOWN - A mountain lion attack left one brother dead and another injured in a remote area of Northern California on Saturday, officials said.

The two, aged 18 and 21, were antler shed hunting in Georgetown, northeast of Sacramento, when the mountain lion attacked the pair, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.

The younger brother called 911 at 1:13 p.m. to report being separated from his older brother during the attack, officials said.

Deputies began searching the area, and at around 1:46 p.m., they found the mountain lion crouched next to the older brother. Shots were fired to scare off the animal.

The 21-year-old was dead by the time deputies reached him. The 18-year-old suffered “traumatic injuries” to his face and was taken to a local hospital for treatment, the sheriff’s office said.

Authorities have not released the names of the victims.

Wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are working to locate the mountain lion.

Story Date: April 1, 2024