Man, 21, killed in animal attack in western Manitoba First Nation last week

Man, 21, killed in animal attack in western Manitoba First Nation last week

Preliminary investigation found man was not attacked by bear, province says

A 21-year-old man found dead in a western Manitoba First Nation last week is believed to have been attacked by an animal, and while work is still underway to confirm what kind of animal attacked the man, the province says bears have been ruled out.

A suspicious death in Sapotaweyak Cree Nation was reported to RCMP on Sept. 9, RCMP said in a news release Monday.

Mounties then found a 21-year-old man dead on a community road, police said.

An autopsy found an animal attack was the man's preliminary cause of death, but the type of animal remains unknown, police said.

The RCMP says it notified Manitoba Conservation officials of the investigation and its findings.

A preliminary investigation ruled out that a bear attacked the man, a provincial spokesperson told CBC News.

Following the attack, the community's leadership sent a memo asking residents not to walk around alone, especially during the night hours.

Sapotaweyak is about 400 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.