Last week’s newsletter featured the heroic efforts of a group of friends that fearlessly fought off a mountain lion while cycling just east of Seattle. Since the incident, which took place on February 17, 2024, additional details and photographs of the victim have been released.
As five cyclists were biking on a trail near East Bend, the group noticed that they had company in the form of two mountain lions. As the cats followed closely behind, it didn’t take long for one to pounce on a member of the group.
Latching on to the face of 60-year-old Keri McCorkle, the animal lashed her back with its razor sharp claws without letting go of McCorkle’s head nestled between the cat’s jaws. McCorkle’s friends sprung into action, using a large boulder to hit the lion in an attempt to free their friend from its jaws. One member of the group worked a Leatherman tool across the cat’s neck, trying to slit its throat without success.
After a 15-minute struggle, the cat finally released McCorkle from its grasp and before the cat could get out of dodge, the women pinned it to the ground with one of their bicycles.
A 911 call was placed at approximately 12:52 PM and a responding officer from Washington’s State and Wildlife was on-scene by 1:05PM. With an amazing response time, the women were able to keep the animal pinned as the officer dispatched the animal upon arrival.
While none of the women have spoken to the media about the incident, the victim’s daughter has set up a GoFundMe page to support her mother’s recovery.
