Wounded coyote euthanized in Atwater Village after reappearing post-shooting

California wildlife officials initially reported euthanizing a coyote in Atwater Village after it attacked a 16-month-old child, according to CBS News Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Times. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) said they shot the animal near Glenhurst Avenue but lost track of it, assuming it had died from its injuries.

Neighbors in Atwater Village continued to see the wounded coyote limping around the neighborhood weeks after the shooting, raising concerns about public safety. Residents reported the animal had a pronounced limp and was still present in yards and streets, CBS News Los Angeles reported.

The CDFW confirmed that DNA samples linked the euthanized coyote to the one involved in the attack on the toddler. However, the agency admitted that officers initially believed the coyote had succumbed to its wounds based on blood loss but had not located its body or tracked it with a K9.

After repeated sightings and reports from neighbors, including efforts by local wildlife control groups, CDFW and U.S. Department of Agriculture officers returned to the area. They found the injured coyote and humanely euthanized it due to the ongoing threat it posed to public safety, the Los Angeles Times stated.

Neighbors expressed frustration with the wildlife officials for the lack of transparency and the prolonged presence of the wounded animal. The coyote had been a problem in the neighborhood for months prior to the attack, with some residents attributing its presence to a local man feeding it since January, CBS News Los Angeles reported.