A coyote walks along a wall and behind various bushes that separate homes from The Tracks at Brea Trail in Brea early on Saturday morning, September 21, 2024. Mark Rightmire/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images
(PORTLAND, Ore.) — A coyote attacked and chased a 9-year-old in Portland, Oregon, while the child was playing hide-and-seek in their own yard, with officials encouraging residents in the area to remain on alert, according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The attack occurred last week in the Portland neighborhood of Alameda, where a 9-year-old and a 3-year-old were “playing hide-and-seek in their yard when a coyote approached the 9-year-old” and bit their foot, the fish and wildlife department said in a press release on Wednesday.
The 9-year-old, who was wearing socks at the time of the attack, was able to “shake their foot out of the sock and run away,” officials said.
The coyote then proceeded to chase the 9-year-old until the child’s father — who was on the front porch — began yelling at the animal, who then ran away, officials said.
The child was taken to a local hospital and was “treated for minor injuries,” officials said. The status of the child’s condition remains unclear as of Thursday.
A day after the attack, officials traveled to the scene to “conduct a site investigation” and informed residents via flyers and social media posts that a “concerning incident with a coyote had recently occurred,” the department of fish and wildlife said.
In the days following the attack, officials said they have “continued to monitor the area and talk to neighbors” and are working closely with local and federal authorities to “determine next steps for addressing the human safety situation.”
While coyotes are “not unusual” in this area of Portland — even during the day — officials strongly encouraged residents to “monitor young children playing outside” and to not provide food to coyotes, which is illegal in the state of Oregon.
Dave Keiter, a district wildlife biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, told ABC Portland affiliate KATU the attack was a “very unusual incident,” but feeding the animals can “make them spend more time around humans which can cause conflict both with people and with pets.”
“The vast majority of encounters with coyotes are entirely benign,” Keiter told KATU.
If someone does encounter a coyote, officials said to scare away the animal by yelling, using airhorns, banging pots and pans or throwing objects.
Officials encourage community members to “immediately report concerning encounters and aggressive behavior toward people or pet” to the department of fish and wildlife or call 911 in the event of an emergency.
Alleged serial killer Rex A. Heuermann is escorted into Judge Tim Mazzei’s courtroom at Suffolk County Court in Riverhead for a frye hearing on July 17, 2025 in Riverhead, New York. (Photo by James Carbone-Pool/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — A New York judge on Wednesday admitted DNA evidence that Suffolk County prosecutors say links alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann to the murders of at least seven victims.
The defense had challenged the evidence since it was obtained using new DNA technology that had never been used in a New York court.
Prosecutors successfully argued the technology was derived from accepted scientific methods.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Items are displayed in the makeshift memorial for Charlie Kirk outside the headquarters of Turning Point USA on September 17, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Homeland Security has designated the upcoming funeral and memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event, a DHS official told ABC News.
The funeral will have the same level of security as the Super Bowl or the Boston Marathon.
SEAR 1 events are “reserved for events of the highest national significance and enable the federal government to provide the full range of law enforcement and security resources necessary to support local officials in ensuring a safe and successful event,” according to a DHS official.
President Donald Trump and other members of the cabinet are expected to attend the service at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals, on Sunday.
William Mack, the Secret Service special agent in charge of the Phoenix field office, said in a statement that the Secret Service has been designated as the federal coordinator for the funeral.
“Our teams are already on the ground in Phoenix and Glendale, working side-by-side with state, local, and federal partners,” Mack said. “Together, we are fully committed to ensuring that these solemn events receive the comprehensive protection and support they require.”
Some of those local police officers include officers from the Glendale, Arizona, police department.
The department is navigating a heightened security threat amid expectations of a massive crowd at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service on Sunday.
“We will not be surprised if more than 100,000 people show up,” said Jose Santiago, public information officer for the Glendale Police Department.
He says they expect people to travel in from across the country and begin lining up for the first-come, first-served service by 2 a.m. on Sunday, if not before. The parking lot opens at 7:00 a.m., local time. Camping in the area will not be allowed.
“Officers will be anywhere the eye can see, and in places it can’t,” said Santiago, referring to aircraft, many drones in the air and helicopters at the ready.
The Department of Public Safety and Secret Service will be running the show inside State Farm Stadium.
Derek Mayer, the former assistant special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Chicago field office, who oversaw large-scale events, told ABC News the designation allows for a “whole of government approach.”
“DHS regularly declares events around the nation as SEAR-level to ensure the safety of those in attendance,” Mayer, now the chief security officer and vice president of executive protection at P4 said.
“This designation allows for a ‘whole of government’ approach, which means many different local, state and federal agencies will supply resources and manpower to guarantee extra security measures are in place. With President Trump and many other high-profile individuals expected to attend, along with the amount of public attention focused on the funeral, it makes sense for DHS to declare this as a SEAR event,” Mayer added.
The funeral is open to the public, but those who plan to attend are asked to register with Turning Point USA.
