2 brothers involved in deadly Northern California mountain lion attack ID'd by sheriff's office
GEORGETOWN, Calif. -- Two Northern California brothers involved in a fatal mountain lion attack over the weekend have been identified.
The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office identified them as 21-year-old Taylen Robert Claude Brooks and 18-year-old Wyatt Brooks of Mt. Aukum.
Taylen Brooks died in the attack and Wyatt is recovering from injuries.
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On Saturday, Wyatt called authorities to report he and Taylen were attacked by a mountain lion while antler shed hunting in the Georgetown area, according to an El Dorado County Sheriff's Office news release.
Wyatt was separated from Taylen during the attack and suffered "traumatic injuries" to his face, according to authorities.
Deputies searching for the missing brother found him on the ground next to the crouched mountain lion, the release said.
The deputies fired their weapons to ward off the mountain lion so they could get to the brother, according to the release.
"Deputies discharged their firearms in order to scare the mountain lion off so they could render medical aid," the release read. When they reached him, they realized the 21-year-old had died, according to the sheriff's office.
The last fatal mountain lion attack in the state dates back to 2004, when a 35-year-old man was killed at Whiting Ranch Regional Park in Orange County, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's list of "verified mountain lion-human attacks."
"According to historical reports, four fatal incidents involving six victims occurred around the turn of the previous century," the agency notes. There have been 21 mountain lion attacks - defined as "direct physical contact between a human and a mountain lion resulting in physical injury or death" - since 1986, according to the list, not including the Saturday incident.
The mountain lion was later found by wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the El Dorado County trapper, according to Kyle Parker, a spokesperson for the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office.
"The mountain lion was dispatched, and the body of the mountain lion was collected for further examination," he said.
Mountain lion attacks on humans are rare, according to the state agency.
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The Brooks family released a statement writing:
"We would like to express our sincere thanks for the outpouring of support and prayers from family, friends and the community. We are all devastated by the tragic loss of Taylen yet thankful Wyatt is still with us and are well- aware the outcome could have been even worse. Taylen and Wyatt grew up in Southern El Dorado County where they enjoyed hunting and fishing together, almost daily.
These two young men being as close as any two brothers could be, lived a full energetic life enjoying the outdoors. Wyatt Jay Charles Brooks, age 18 Wyatt has been in the Mt. Adams Fire Academy since last September, he aspires to be hired with Cal Fire. He is an avid baseball player and an ardent bow hunting enthusiast. Taylen Robert Claude Brooks, age 21 Taylen worked with his father, Aaron painting houses and cutting firewood and loved being outdoors.
He truly enjoyed fishing and was an extremely talented guitar player. He was a very kind and gentle soul and will be deeply missed by all who knew him. A brother is a friend given by nature.
These two brothers were driven by nature. For everyone that wants to know the "What" of this tragedy, the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office's release of the facts accurately reflects the tragedy.
We all are thankful for everyone respecting our privacy and space during this difficult time."
The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office said plans for a memorial for Taylen are being worked on and details will be released as soon as they are finalized.
The El Dorado Community Foundation created a Brooks Brothers Support Fund to support the Brooks family. Donations are tax deductible.
CNN's Raja Razek, Jessica Flynn, Cindy Von Quednow contributed to this report.
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