Arizona

Bear shot dead after attacking 15-year-old in Arizona cabin:

Published

1 month ago

May 27, 2024

Bear shot dead after attacking 15-year-old in Arizona cabin:

A black bear was shot and killed by Arizona fish and game officers after it entered a home through an open door and injured a teenager in a mountain community near the New Mexico state line, wildlife officials said.

The 15-year-old boy, identified as Brigham Hawkins by his family, received wounds to his face and arm when the bear swiped at him, and he was treated at a hospital after the late Wednesday incident in Alpine, the state Game and Fish Department said.

His mother, Carol Hawkins, told CBS affiliate KPHO-TV in Phoenix that the bear attacked her son while he was alone and watching television.

“Never in our wildest dreams did we think (a bear) would come in the home,” she told the station.

Teen recovering after bear attack in eastern Arizona cabin, mother says https://t.co/77WTl7v1tS pic.twitter.com/QKC8doQExU
— azfamily 3TV CBS 5 (@azfamily) May 26, 2024

Hawkins said her other son heard screams and went to help. Wildlife officials said the bear entered the home a second time before it fled.

“Not many kids can say they got in a fight with a bear and came out on top,” Hawkins said in a Facebook post that included a photo showing cuts on her son’s nose and arm. Hawkins did not respond to a Facebook message Saturday from The Associated Press.

Wildlife officers found and shot the bear, which the agency said was believed to be about 3 years old and would be tested for disease by department specialists.

“It was thanks to the quick reaction by his brother and his family that they were able to distract the bear from what very easily in a matter of seconds could have turned into a real tragedy there,” AZ Game and Fish Department Law Enforcement Supervisor Shawn Wagner told KPHO-TV.

The teen was taken to a local hospital with injuries to his face and arm and has started the rabies vaccine as a precaution but is expected to recover.

“Everybody that came into help him, he had a big thank you and so he’s handling it well. And he’ll be okay,” Carol Hawkins told the station.

The attack was the 16th by bears on people in the state since wildlife officials began keeping records in 1990, including two that were fatal, the department said.

A 66-year-old man was killed almost a year ago when he was attacked at a campsite in the Groom Creek area south of Prescott and about 100 miles north of Phoenix.

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Arizona

3-star offensive lineman Michael Langi commits to Arizona, first pledge of 2026 class

Published

7 hours ago

June 26, 2024

Press Room

3-star offensive lineman Michael Langi commits to Arizona, first pledge of 2026 class

Arizona has been on a tear this month, picking up 13 commitments in June for its 2025 recruiting class after entering with only two. And now it already has one for the following class.

3-star offensive lineman Michael Langi committed to the UA on Tuesday night, giving the Wildcats their first pledge of the 2026 class nearly 18 months before those recruits could officially sign.

he 6-foot-3, 265-pound Langi, who goes by ‘Bobo’ rather than Michael, is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 509 player in the 2026 class. He’s also considered the No. 41 interior offensive lineman in the country and the No. 79 prospect from California.

Langi, who was offered by Arizona in January, picked the Wildcats over offers from ASU, Colorado and Penn State, among others. He is the younger brother of 3-star offensive lineman Peter Langi, a 2025 recruit whom the UA had in for an official visit last weekend.

Both Langis play for Archbishop Riordan in San Francisco, the same school where Arizona recently got a commitment from 3-star offensive lineman Losipini Tupou. They are no relation to Sam Langi, who appeared in 21 games (with four starts) on the offensive line for the Wildcats from 2020-23.

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Arizona

Former Baylor pitcher Collin McKinney commits to Arizona baseball

Published

14 hours ago

June 25, 2024

Press Room

Former Baylor pitcher Collin McKinney commits to Arizona baseball

In winning both the Pac-12 regular season and conference tournament titles, Arizona put up some of the best pitching numbers in the country and led the nation in a trio of categories.

The Kevin Vance effect was real, and it’s made the Wildcats a desirable destination for pitchers hoping to improve their pro prospects.

Arizona has landed a second potential weekend starter from the NCAA transfer portal, getting a commitment Tuesday from former Baylor right-hander Collin McKinney.

The 6-foot-5 Texas native comes to Tucson with three years of eligibility, but with a big 2025 season could get drafted. He’s coming off a 2024 campaign as a redshirt freshman (he sat out 2023 due to injury) in which he started 14 games for Baylor and was 3-6 with a 6.70 ERA.

McKinney struck out 60 batters in 49.2 innings but also walked 35 and allowed 11 home runs. He had back-to-back 10-strikeout performances midway through the season but didn’t go more than four innings in any of his final seven starts.

He is Arizona’s second portal pickup, both righties who have started throughout their college career. Last week the Wildcats landed ex-Rutgers RHP Christian Coppola.

Coppola is ranked by 64Analytics as the No. 30 transfer, while McKinney is No. 168. For perspective, none of the players Arizona has lost to the portal was ranked in the top 1,000.

The UA is likely to lose all three weekend starters with righties Clark Candiotti and Cam Walty graduating and lefty Jackson Kent expected to get drafted and start his pro career.

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