Police arrest black bear in entertainment hub

Police arrest black bear in entertainment hub

Police nabbed a rather unusual suspect in Knoxville's entertainment district early Tuesday - a 130-pound (59-kilogram) black bear.

Officials from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency were called in to tranquilize the bear in an alley near the Old City historical district, a hub for shops, restaurants and nightclubs.

The bear was spotted Monday night near the University of Tennessee but eluded police by climbing over a fence. Officials believe the same bear again escaped their grasp after turning up in a rail yard.

Bears commonly are seen in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) away from Knoxville, but are rarely seen in the city.

The bear was released in the Cherokee National Forest in southeastern Tennessee.