Man mauled to death by captive grizzly in Montana

• A man was killed by a captive grizzly bear in Montana Sunday
• The 24-year-old man did not have defensive wounds
• He may have fallen and hit his head while feeding the bear before being killed

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The trainer at a Montana wildlife casting agency where a man was fatally mauled while cleaning a grizzly pen says the victim may have fallen and hit his head or otherwise lost consciousness before he was killed.

Demetri Price with Animals of Montana near Bozeman called Sunday's mauling of an unidentified 24-year-old man a "tragic accident" — but not an attack.

Price said Monday there were no defensive wounds on the victim, who was carrying bear spray but apparently did not use it.

The Gallatin County Sheriff's Office is investigating, but Sheriff Brian Gootkin could not be immediately reached Monday for comment.

An attorney for Animals of Montana's owner told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle a grizzly bear in the pen had to be put down to recover the victim.