Connecticut Father Ends Up in Cuffs After Shooting Bear That Came ‘Within Feet’ of His Children

Todd Topicz, a 39-year-old father from Bethlehem, Connecticut, found himself in handcuffs for doing what any parent would: protecting his children. This incident, which took place last August, involved a black bear that had wandered into his garage where his two children were playing and began rummaging through the trash. With his pregnant wife sounding the alarm and the family dog chasing the bear up a tree, Topicz grabbed his firearm as an act of self defense, fired warning shots at the bruin, which unbeknownst to him at the time, ended up being fatal. 

Yet, instead of being hailed as a hero, Topicz was slapped with charges by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) for illegal taking of a bear, negligent discharge of a firearm, and breach of peace. This incident isn’t just a miscarriage of justice—it’s a glaring symptom of Connecticut’s refusal to manage its exploding bear population through sensible wildlife management methods. Like a regulated hunting season.

“We were all threatened. It entered our home. And I have no idea why DEEP ended up charging me for this,” the U.S. Army veteran told WFSB.

Connecticut’s bear population has surged, with DEEP’s 2025 "State of the Bears" report documenting over 3,000 human-bear conflicts in 2024 alone, including 67 home entries. These aren’t just bears rummaging through bird feeders; they’re breaking into homes, threatening families, and generally creating a bit of chaos for local residents. Yet, the state clings to its no-hunting policy, leaving residents like Topicz to face legal peril for defending their homes and, in this case, children. 

In 2023, Connecticut passed a self-defense law explicitly allowing residents to kill bears that enter occupied buildings or pose an imminent threat to people or pets. Topicz’s case seems tailor-made for this statute: a bear in his garage, steps from his kids, acting aggressively even after warning shots. 

Republican Senators Eric Berthel, Henri Martin, and Stephen Harding have come out in public support for Topicz in the Bethlehem, Connecticut bear shooting case. They have since penned a letter to DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes, expressing confusion over Topicz’s arrest and seeking clarification on why charges were filed, especially given the 2023 self-defense law that permits killing a bear if it enters an occupied building or threatens people or pets. 

The senators argued that Topicz’s situation in which a bear entered his garage near his children, appeared to meet these criteria, and they criticized DEEP’s lack of transparency, noting the case’s sealed court record. 

“A public statement from DEEP regarding this public safety matter would help resolve confusion and enable us to better communicate with our constituents,” they stated.

The incident, which has now caught the eye of the national media, has once again thrust the bear hunting issue into the forefront. Nearby states like Pennsylvania and New York have thriving bear hunting seasons that help keep populations in check all while generating revenue for conservation. Connecticut, with its estimated 1,200 bears and climbing, could and likely should, follow suit. A regulated hunting season would thin out problem bears, deter them from human spaces, and prevent tragedies, whether that be a mauling or a father forced to choose between his kids’ safety and jail time. 

Instead, the state’s hands-off approach has created a ticking time bomb. Bears, emboldened by easy access to garbage and no natural predators, are increasingly comfortable strolling into suburban garages and other public spaces. DEEP’s own data shows bear conflicts rising year after year, yet they continue to double down on policies that tie homeowners’ hands and do little to mitigate the risks. 

As for Topicz, he’s now facing a rehabilitation program to have the bear-related charge dismissed, and it sounds as though that will be the end of his woes. As for the idea of defending yourself or your property from problem bears in Connecticut, despite what the law states, it sounds as though you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.