Mountain lion sighting led to brief shelter-in-place at 2 Millcreek schools


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MILLCREEK — Three mountain lions killed a young deer in a Salt Lake County resident's backyard Tuesday morning, which prompted a precautionary shelter-in-place at two Millcreek schools as wildlife biologists searched for the animals, officials said.

Shelter-in-place orders at Churchill Jr. High School, at 3450 E. Oakview Drive, and Oakridge Elementary, at 4325 Jupiter Drive, were later lifted, according to Granite School District officials.

About 6:30 a.m., mountain lions were seen in a backyard of a home near 4300 South and 4000 East about a half-mile from Neff's Canyon, according to Utah Division of Wildlife Resources spokeswoman Faith Heaton Jolley. The man who lives there reported hearing a deer being attacked in his yard and later reviewed security footage at his home to find three mountain lions. A carcass of a young deer was also found in the backyard.

Unified police were initially called to investigate and state wildlife biologists were notified shortly after 7:15 a.m. Since the area was near the two schools and mountain lions are known to return to where they had killed an animal, the shelter-in-place orders were issued until wildlife biologists could remove the carcass, Jolley explained. As of noon, wildlife biologists haven't seen the mountain lions in the area.

According to Granite School District officials, parents were encouraged to drive students to school and not to let them walk while the shelter-in-place was in effect.

There were police in the area to make sure students are safe, the district said.

Anyone who sees in the mountain lions is encouraged to call Unified police at 801-840-4000 or the Division of Wildlife Resources at 801-538-4700. If they are located, wildlife biologists will attempt to tranqualize the mountain lions and relocate them elsewhere.

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Carter Williams is an award-winning reporter who covers general news, outdoors, history and sports for KSL.com.

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