CALVIN NEIL LENNBERG faces felony charge in connection with the shooting of a mother bear that left her cubs orphaned
- Colorado, USA -
In July 2026, residents of a Castle Rock neighborhood were left upset and bewildered after a bear was shot near their homes.
According to CBS Colorado, resident Jeff Berta captured footage on his Ring camera showing a bear family enjoying a pool in his backyard.
The family consisted of a mother bear and her two cubs. Neighbors told CBS Colorado that they frequently saw the bears in the area and had grown fond of them.
Berta said the family had become “our neighborhood bear.” His daughter named the mother Melanie and her cubs Honey and Sugar.
On July 9, 2026, Berta heard a noise he initially mistook for fireworks. When he heard a similar sound approximately 45 minutes later, his wife suspected they were gunshots.
The Bertas grabbed their binoculars and observed Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) officers tranquilizing Honey and Sugar approximately 1,000 yards from their home, CBS Colorado reported.
During his interview with the news outlet, Berta described seeing officers equipped with rifles and tranquilization equipment. He also observed an officer climb a tree and bring one of the cubs down, while other personnel removed tarps from their vehicles. At one point, he saw an officer carrying a stethoscope.
The Bertas did not see Melanie, but they observed CPW officers carrying a large, heavy object covered by a tarp up an embankment.
Berta also told CBS Colorado that the couple had witnessed officers firing guns or using tranquilizers during the operation.
CPW subsequently confirmed that a bear had been shot on land in Douglas County, but clarified that the person who initially shot the animal was not a CPW employee. The agency took the two cubs to a wildlife rehabilitation facility and launched an investigation. CPW did not initially release further details about the incident, CBS Colorado reported.
The news left residents understandably heartbroken.
Berta expressed his sadness and anger over the loss of an animal who had become part of the neighborhood community. He also said he could not imagine harming an animal, according to CBS Colorado.
On September 1, 2026, Bradley Gabrielski of Colorado Parks and Wildlife informed DCCO by email that the agency had completed its portion of the investigation and forwarded the case to the District Attorney's Office for a charging decision.
Gabrielski explained that CPW generally does not disclose details of an ongoing investigation before charges are filed, or, in some cases, until court proceedings have concluded, in order to protect the integrity of the investigation.
In an article published on October 8, 2026, FOX31 identified the alleged shooter as 37-year-old CALVIN NEIL LENNBERG, a local resident. The news of the charges has brought renewed attention to the shooting and the loss of Melanie.
Following the investigation, LENNBERG was charged in the 23rd Judicial District with one count of aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class 4 felony.
According to court documents filed on September 22, 2026, prosecutors allege that, on or around July 9, 2026, LENNBERG knowingly tortured, needlessly mutilated, or needlessly killed an animal.
LENNBERG's first court appearance is scheduled for October 23, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
CBS Colorado reported that its journalists attempted to obtain a comment from LENNBERG by calling and texting him and visiting his home, but received no response.
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