Benjamin Halona, 67, died when a bear forced its way into his house in the Navajo Nation community of Crystal, New Mexico; the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife put the attack at about 1 p.m. on Thursday, August 20, 2026. His family is asking that he be remembered for his career as a firefighter, not for the violent way his life ended.

Halona, a tamale seller, was home by himself when the animal got inside. His stepson, Casey — the son of Halona’s late wife, Bernadine — had gone to the post office, leaving him alone in the house.

Bernadine had died of an illness in February, leaving Halona a widower, and a seizure had left him recovering with the help of a walker and a wheelchair. He had few options, and he could not get away from the bear.

A Stepson’s Frantic Call for Help

Casey came back to a door standing ajar. Then he saw the bear inside.

He barricaded his bedroom door with a dresser and other heavy objects before hiding in a crawlspace in his closet, his stepfather’s sister, Gloria Halona, told The Guardian. From there he used his cellphone to call for help. Two relatives took the call: Gloria Halona, Halona’s sister, and her daughter Samantha Vandever.

The two women drove to the home and found the bear outside the house. They honked the car horn until the animal ran off. Inside, they found what Vandever called a “horrific scene.”

Law enforcement officers responding to the scene shot and wounded the bear, but it fled into nearby woods, according to a Facebook post from the wildlife department. Responders tracked the animal down later and neutralized it. Halona died of the injuries he suffered in the attack, the department confirmed, and the Navajo Police Department gave the same account in a statement.

In the account attributed to Gloria Halona and her daughter, a police officer shot the bear after the two women honked their car horn. The Navajo Police Department statement also noted that bears are sacred to the Navajo Nation.

New Mexico almost never records a fatal bear attack. Halona’s was only the second such death reported in the state in a century, and the first in 25 years.

Remembered for His Firefighting Career

Relatives have said they want the work Halona did, not the manner of his death, to define him, and they have pointed to his career as a firefighter and to his commitment.

Vandever said her uncle went through a great deal in his lifetime and that his relatives are devastated by what happened to him. The aftermath the family walked into was overwhelming, she said.

Gloria Halona told The Guardian of her brother: “He was a really strong person. And, even though he didn’t have a lot, he was happy.”

Funeral services were held August 29. His family said he leaves behind a great-grandchild, 15 grandchildren, five stepchildren, four children and two siblings.

Officials Point to Drought Conditions

Halona was killed at a time when the Navajo Nation had reported a rise in bear sightings across its communities. In a statement released August 25, the Navajo Police Department said the natural food supply bears depend on had been cut into by drought and low moisture, and that the animals were roaming farther and taking bigger risks as they hunt for calories and prepare for hibernation.

Food is behind the majority of run-ins between people and bears, according to the wildlife department, which has warned residents to treat black bears as unpredictable animals capable of turning dangerous without warning. The department called such attacks unusual, but said any bear may act defensively or aggressively. People should keep their distance: no feeding, no following, and no close-range photographs.

The department advised anyone who runs into a bear not to give in to the urge to flee. Its guidance is to keep the animal in view, ease away, and leave it an unobstructed path out. A bear that closes the gap should meet residents holding their position, looking as big as possible and generating as much noise as they can. Children belong close by, dogs belong on a leash, and no dog should be allowed to chase or confront a bear. If a black bear does attack, the department said, fight it off with anything within reach.

After the attack, the wildlife department extended its condolences to Halona’s family, his loved ones and the Crystal community.

The problem stretches far past the Navajo Nation. In the license year that began April 1, the New Mexico Department of Wildlife counted 253 bears killed statewide, 186 of them killed as threats to people, livestock, pets, or property.