911 call released in fatal bear attack that killed Rutgers student

WEST MILFORD, N.J. -- Authorities have released a 911 call made in connection with a deadly bear attack that claimed the life of a 22-year-old Rutgers student who was hiking with four of his friends.

The incident happened last Sunday in the Apshawa Preserve in West Milford.

"We were hiking and we saw a bear," the caller says. "We all started running, and it started chasing us."

A two-lane road meant safety for three of the hikers, who took off to escape the 300-pound black bear.

"Two of us are OK, one other person injured," the caller said. "Two are really close, and I'm scared out of my mind for them. I want to go back, but I'm hurt and I don't know what to do."

His fears were confirmed when Darsh Patel didn't make it out of the woods alive.

"You're hurt, you said?" the dispatched asked.

"Not badly, I just scraped my leg," the caller said. "It's nothing major, but I'm more worried about them. Can anyone get here anytime soon please?"

Police did not released the name of the caller, who was clearly rattled and terrified, repeatedly asking when help was on the way. The dispatcher, however, didn't immediately appear to have a sense of urgency.

Dispatcher: "Are you on a trail?"

Caller: "Yeah, we were on the trail."

Dispatcher: "It's going to take them a while to get anywhere near you if you are on a trail."

Caller: "No, no, no, we ran one way for about two minutes and we got on to a neighborhood."

A search team located Patel's body, and authorities said the bear was circling him when sheriff's officers and wildlife officials killed it.

West Milford Police Chief Timothy Storbeck says the bear was 30 to 40 yards from the body and wouldn't leave when officers tried to scare it away.

Environmental officials say it's the first fatal bear attack in New Jersey on record.