Jogger Mauled by Mountain Lion Killed it With His Bare Hands

“It was just a fight for survival.”

Brandon Friederich

Feb 6, 2019

We don’t know his name, but this man—no, this savage—didn’t just survive an attack from a wild mountain lion; he took it out with nothing but his hands.

The unnamed runner was on a solo trek through the Horsetooth Mountain Open Space near Fort Collins, Colorado when he heard “something behind him on the trail,” according to a press release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

On turning around to investigate, the big cat lunged at him, biting his face and wrist. CPW spokeswoman Rebecca Ferrell told The Denver Post that the man avoided a mauling by blocking the cat’s striking claws with his forearms.

Somehow, he was then able to mount and “suffocate” the 80-pound animal, though it’s unclear if he strangled or smothered it to death.

After additional investigation, including examination of the lion, we have confirmed the victim's account that he was able to suffocate the animal while defending himself from the attack.

— CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) February 5, 2019

“It’s an amazing story. Everyone is baffled and impressed,” Ferrell said. “He had no weapons, no knives or trekking poles with him. How did he do it? It’s pretty rare.”

Ty Petersburg, area wildlife manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, added that the runner was in pure survival mode.

“He was really creative,” Petersburg told told NBC affiliate KUSA. “He used his hands, feet — things that were around him, and really it was just a fight for survival.”

The bloodied man then hiked away and sought treatment for serious—but non-life-threatening—injuries at a nearby hospital.

Meanwhile, people everywhere are giving the guy well-deserved props on Twitter:

Colorado Runner Kills Mountain Lion By Suffocating It. #respect! https://t.co/ELsDdl8UI2

— Joe Rogan (@joerogan) February 5, 2019

ok while you were at your desk yesterday Colorado Man killed a mountain lion with his bare hands https://t.co/X21X9w7mOv

— Luke Runyon (@LukeRunyon) February 5, 2019

https://twitter.com/JonWedlund/status/1092840979478900741