GREELEY, Colo. — A Greeley police officer shot and killed a mountain lion that made its way onto a school campus Tuesday morning.
The incident happened on the grounds of Madison K8 School, located in the 500 block of 26th Avenue Court. The Greeley Police Department said the school was placed on a secure perimeter as officers responded to the scene. The department also issued a shelter-in-place order to nearby residents.
The department said it coordinated with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), but wildlife officers had an "extended arrival time to the scene." In the meantime, officers tried to contain the animal away from the school and nearby foot traffic.
At one point, the mountain lion tried to break out of the containment area, and an officer "discharged their weapon to protect the community," according to Greeley police. The department said the officer "acted in an abundance of caution, particularly given the close proximity of children and families in the area."
No humans were hurt during the incident. The secure perimeter and shelter-in-place order were eventually lifted.
Greeley PD said mountain lions sometimes enter Greeley, though it is rare.