(JEROME, Fla.) -- A man and a dog were killed in a suspected bear attack in Florida, officials said.
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office said it received a call shortly after 7 a.m. Monday involving a "bear encounter."
The incident was reported in the area of State Road 29 and U.S. 41, just south of the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area, a conservation area, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.
"The FWC is actively investigating a suspected fatal wildlife attack, that’s been reported to involve a bear, near Jerome in Collier County," the commission said in a statement. "Preliminary information notes that the attack resulted in the death of a man and a dog."
The victim was an elderly man who was alone with a dog at the residence when the incident occurred, FWC officials said.
Wildlife officials are collecting DNA from the scene to help determine what happened, according to FWC spokesperson Tyson Matthews. FWC officials were not yet able to confirm where on the property the attack occurred.
If indeed a bear attack, the animal would most likely be a Florida black bear, based on the region, Matthews said at a press briefing Monday afternoon. That would make it the first documented fatal black bear attack in the state's history, he noted.
The FWC warned residents and visitors that the animal may still be in the area as authorities work to locate it and secure the perimeter.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we urge residents and visitors to remain vigilant, and avoid the area," the FWC said.
Drones are involved in the search for the animal.
The FWC is investigating the incident.
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