A bear tragically killed a 66-year-old man in a rare attack and an onlooker shot it dead while it was "consuming" the victim.
As reported by ABC News, the attack occurred in Groom Creek near Prescott, which is situated around 100 miles north of Phoenix.
The victim has since been identified as 66-year-old Steven Jackson, of Tucson, who was reportedly building a cabin in the woods at the time of the incident.
According to Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes, Jackson was sitting in a chair outside of his campsite at around 08:00 AM on June 16 when the black bear attacked him, unprovoked.
According to reports, onlookers attempted to scare the animal by honking car horns and shouting, but it was to no avail as the bear dragged Jackson 75 yards away and "began consuming him".
A neighbor got a rifle and shot the bear dead, but by this time Jackson had sadly succumbed to the injuries that he had sustained in the attack.
Rhodes said that first responders were in "a bit of shock and disbelief" at the scene when they arrived, as an unprovoked attack from a black bear is "unique".
During the press conference, the Country Sheriff stated that there was no food left in the area to attract the bear, and nothing obvious that would gain its attention.
According to NBC News, the bear that attacked Jackson was between six and 10 years old, and a full autopsy will be carried out on the animal.
Darren Tucker, a field supervisor for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, said: "This attack appears to be predatory in nature. This situation is extremely unusual, not the norm. We have had zero reports of any kind of aggressive or threatening behavior from a bear anywhere around here."
Tucker revealed that the last fatal bear attack in the state was in 2011, and black bears attacking humans is "extremely rare", even with their high population levels in the area.
Rhodes is urging calm amongst the community, saying: "These are exceeding rare circumstances and we haven’t seen this before. We don’t want people to freak out, shoot bears, shoot animals."
"Our sincere sympathies go out to Mr. Jackson’s family," Rhodes continued. "I cannot express how deeply sad this situation is and can only say our prayers are with you."
While it is common to spot black bears in Arizona, there have only been 15 reported attacks since the late '80s, which makes this incident extremely rare.
The sheriff has reminded the community that it is illegal to shoot bears unless they pose an imminent threat to life, and that campers should always take the necessary precautions to avoid attracting them.
Our thoughts are with Jackson's loved ones at this time.