An individual who trained animals was fatally attacked by a grizzly bear he had cared for since he was a child during a failed stunt. Stephan Miller, aged 39, was at his relative’s animal training facility, Randy Miller’s Predators in Action, located in the San Bernardino mountains near Los Angeles, USA, when the tragic incident occurred.
Miller was assisting in filming a promotional video with Rocky, a 7.5ft tall grizzly weighing approximately 50 stone, due to his expertise in working with bears and the entertainment industry. The grizzly, aged five, had been accustomed to interacting with humans and had previously appeared in the 2008 film “Semi-Pro,” where Miller served as a body double for Will Ferrell.
On the day of the attack in 2008, as they were filming, the bear unexpectedly attacked Miller by lunging at his neck, catching him off guard and biting him in a vulnerable area. Handlers quickly used pepper spray to separate the bear from Miller, but despite prompt medical assistance, Miller succumbed to his injuries shortly after the attack, leaving behind a wife and two children.
Randy Miller, speaking to the Associated Press, described the incident as happening rapidly, with the bear being subdued within seconds, but unfortunately, it was too late to save Miller. Randy had been involved in raising exotic animals for more than 25 years, focusing on action and staged animal interactions.
Recounting the events leading up to the attack, Randy mentioned that Miller had been spending time bonding with the bear, engaging in activities and conversation with it throughout the day. The bear, known for its friendly nature and love for human interaction, was apparently preparing to playfully engage with Miller. Despite following safety protocols and setting up the location accordingly, the bear unexpectedly turned aggressive.
Following the incident, regulatory authorities initiated an investigation into the matter. While there were initial discussions about euthanizing the bear, pressure from animal rights organizations led to Rocky being spared, and he was transferred to an animal sanctuary in California. The training facility, which held permits for such activities, also housed other exotic animals like brown bears, black bears, snakes, reptiles, an alligator, crocodile, leopard, mountain lion, African lions, and tigers.
Hollywood filmmaker Nick Palumbo, who knew Miller and Randy, expressed his grief over Miller’s tragic death, emphasizing that Miller deeply cared for the bear and had a close bond with it. Palumbo stated that he did not believe the bear intended to harm Miller, as Miller and his cousin had raised it together.