Mountain lion killed in Sunland by state warden

A Department of Fish and Game warden called to the scene of a mountain lion near homes in Sunland shot and killed the animal last Friday. DFG officials told KTLA the warden felt shooting the animal was necessary to keep the neighborhood safe.

Weeks ago, wardens used tranquilizer darts to subdue a 400-pound bear that wandered through a La Crescenta neighborhood.

Fish and Game officials said that same strategy didn't make sense for the mountain lion.

"Shooting an animal with the darts is not like in the movies," said Fish and Game warden Andrew Hughman.

"You hit the animal, the animal becomes very agitated, very angry very quickly, and it doesn't just fall down and go to sleep, the drugs can take several minutes to activate."