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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Shayne Patrick Burke survived the May 19, 2024 grizzly encounter near Signal Mountain in Grand Teton National Park. He was airlifted to a Jackson hospital, spent one night there, and was later released; an interview reported that he received 60 staples and numerous stitches. “Surprise” describes the close encounter, not proof that the bears were hunting him.
What happened in the Grand Teton grizzly attack?
On May 19, 2024, a 35-year-old visitor from Massachusetts was seriously injured by a bear in the area of Signal Mountain Summit Road in Grand Teton National Park. The National Park Service said rangers and Teton County Search and Rescue responded, provided emergency medical care, and had him airlifted to an ambulance for transport to St. John’s Hospital in Jackson. The NPS initially described a surprise encounter with two grizzlies and said the visitor was stable and expected to fully recover.
The visitor was later identified publicly as Shayne Patrick Burke. In an interview published June 5, 2024, he recounted the attack and his recovery. The Boston Globe reported that he spent one night in the hospital, received 60 staples and numerous stitches, stayed in Jackson for a couple of nights, and then drove back to Massachusetts with his wife. Burke said the event would affect him mentally for a while. Those details come from his interview, not an independently published medical record; the reviewed sources do not establish his complete long-term medical outcome.
Incident at a glance
| Detail | What is known |
|---|---|
| Date | May 19, 2024 |
| Location | Signal Mountain area of Grand Teton National Park; follow-up reporting placed Burke off-trail in dense forest |
| Animals | Two grizzlies were reported in the initial NPS account |
| Visitor | 35-year-old Massachusetts visitor, later identified as Shayne Patrick Burke |
| Outcome | Airlifted to St. John’s Hospital; later interview reported an overnight hospital stay and 60 staples and numerous stitches |
| Official assessment | Officials judged the encounter defensive and suspected an adult female with an older cub |
| Bear outcome | Officials did not capture or kill the bears |
Where did the attack occur?
The NPS described the location as the area of Signal Mountain Summit Road. Follow-up accounts said Burke was hiking off-trail in dense forest. It is therefore more precise to say the encounter occurred near Signal Mountain than to claim he was attacked while walking directly on the paved road.
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Signal Mountain is in Jackson Hole. Visitors can reach the area by road or trail. The park’s Signal Mountain planning page has visitor information.
Officials temporarily closed Signal Mountain Summit Road and Signal Mountain Trail after the incident. The temporary closure later ended, according to a Grand Teton incident report.
How did the encounter unfold?
The NPS’s initial release established the date, location, injuries, emergency response, and involvement of two grizzlies. More detail came from follow-up reporting that quoted park officials and from Burke’s account. The sequence below is a reconstruction, not a complete official minute-by-minute record.
- Burke continued hiking alone. Follow-up accounts said he had been hiking with his wife and their dog before they turned back.
- He was looking for a great gray owl. Burke said he eventually turned around and headed back through the woods.
- He made noise as he walked. His account described talking, singing, and breaking branches to alert wildlife.
- He saw a smaller bear. He described seeing a smaller bear running away.
- A larger bear charged. As Burke reached for his bear spray, the larger bear charged. He did not have time to deploy it before contact.
- He fell to the ground and tried to play dead. Follow-up reporting said he attempted to protect himself while prone.
- The bear bit him and punctured the spray canister. The bears departed after the canister was punctured and released spray.
- He reached cell coverage and called for help. He was rescued and taken to the hospital.
Burke could not deploy the spray before contact. The canister was punctured during the attack; this accidental rupture is not a recommended way to use bear spray.
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The NPS said Burke was seriously injured, stable, and expected to fully recover. In a later interview, he described his hospital stay and treatment; the Boston Globe reported 60 staples and numerous stitches, an overnight stay in hospital, and his return to Massachusetts with his wife after a couple of nights in Jackson. Burke also said the experience would affect him mentally for a while.
These are interview details, not a medical report released by the hospital or park. The sources reviewed do not confirm a complete long-term medical outcome, so it is not possible to say more about his recovery with certainty.
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Why was it called a “surprise encounter”?
“Surprise encounter” describes a close encounter in which a person and bear come into proximity without enough warning to avoid each other. It does not, by itself, mean that the bear deliberately stalked the person or launched a predatory attack.
Grand Teton’s bear-safety guidance says most bear attacks have occurred when people surprised a bear. Park officials judged Burke’s encounter defensive and suspected an adult female grizzly with at least one older cub. The individual bears were not conclusively identified in the reviewed reporting.
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Making noise can help alert bears to a person’s presence, but it cannot guarantee that an encounter will be avoided. Wind, dense vegetation, and terrain can limit how well people and bears detect one another.
Were the grizzlies captured or killed?
No. Park officials did not capture or kill the bears. They judged that the encounter was defensive and determined that further management action was not warranted. Officials suspected a female with an older cub, but the bears were not conclusively identified in the reviewed reporting.
What can hikers learn about bear safety?
Preparation can reduce risk, but no equipment or precaution guarantees safety. Grand Teton recommends making noise in low-visibility areas, keeping distance from bears, not running, and carrying bear spray where it is immediately accessible.
1. Make noise in low-visibility areas
Talk or call out when visibility is poor, such as in dense vegetation or around terrain that blocks your view. The aim is to avoid surprising a bear, not to challenge or attract one. Noise cannot guarantee a bear will hear you.
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2. Keep your distance and do not run
Do not approach a bear, follow it, or move toward a cub. Give bears space and follow the park’s current guidance. If you encounter a bear, do not run; retreat slowly when it is safe to do so.
3. Carry bear spray so you can reach it
Grand Teton recommends carrying EPA-approved bear spray designed for bears where it is immediately available, rather than buried in a pack. Check its expiration date and follow the manufacturer’s directions. The park describes spray as a last resort for an aggressive or charging bear; it does not replace other safety precautions.
Burke had bear spray but did not have time to deploy it before contact. The canister was punctured during the attack. That outcome does not show that a particular canister would have prevented the encounter or changed its result.
4. Understand that responses differ by attack type
Grand Teton distinguishes a defensive contact attack from a suspected predatory attack. Its guidance describes lying flat, covering the neck, and remaining still during a defensive encounter. A suspected predatory attack calls for a different response. Follow the park’s current instructions; do not treat “play dead” as a universal rule for every bear attack.
What happened to access at Signal Mountain?
The road and trail were temporarily closed after the May 19, 2024 incident and later reopened. Visitors should check the Grand Teton conditions and alerts page before traveling because closures and wildlife conditions can change. An open trail does not mean bears are absent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Shayne Patrick Burke survive the grizzly attack?
Yes. He was airlifted to a hospital in Jackson, spent one night there, and was later released. A June 2024 interview reported that he returned to Massachusetts with his wife.
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How many stitches and staples did Burke receive?
The Boston Globe reported that Burke received 60 staples and numerous stitches. This detail comes from reporting on his interview, not an independently published medical record.
Did bear spray save Burke?
Burke could not deploy the spray before contact. Follow-up accounts said the bear punctured the canister and the bears departed. The sources do not establish whether the accidental release changed the outcome, and it is not a recommended way to use bear spray.
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Why were the bears not killed?
Officials judged the encounter defensive and did not consider further management action warranted. They suspected an adult female with an older cub, but the bears were not conclusively identified in the reviewed reporting.
Does “surprise encounter” mean the bear was hunting him?
No. The phrase describes a close encounter; it does not prove predatory intent. Park officials judged this encounter to be defensive.
The Bottom Line
Shayne Patrick Burke survived the 2024 grizzly encounter near Signal Mountain. He was hospitalized overnight and later returned to Massachusetts; interview reporting described his treatment, while the sources reviewed do not establish his complete long-term medical outcome. Officials judged the encounter defensive and did not capture or kill the bears. For hikers, the practical lessons are to make noise in low-visibility areas, keep distance, avoid running, and carry accessible, unexpired bear spray while following the park’s current guidance.
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