Officials with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park say DNA results show a euthanized bear was not responsible for an attack on a 16-year-old boy.

However, the park says rangers believe they shot the bear that attacked the boy and it may have died.

A day after the attack, on the evening of June 7, biologists shot a bear near campsite 84, where the boy was attacked as he slept in a hammock. But the bear ran away, and biologists were unable to track it because of darkness and a thunderstorm that dumped heavy rain on the area, Soehn said.

On June 8, biologists captured a bear in a culvert trap at campsite 84. Believing the animal likely was the one responsible for the attack, biologists tranquilized and “humanely euthanized” the bear with potassium chloride, Soehn said.

A few days later, as biologists continued to search the area, a rifle bullet was discovered near where the first bear was shot. Officials were able to determine that the bullet had struck the bear and DNA was collected from hair found on the bullet, Soehn said.

Biologists collected DNA at the attack site from bear hair and saliva on the victim’s equipment. DNA analysis showed the attack bear was a male but not the one that was euthanized, Soehn said. But the bear that was shot, also a male, was a partial DNA match.

“The DNA from the shot bear was insufficient to make a definitive positive or negative match with DNA collected from attack bear, but the DNA characteristics are quite similar,” Soehn said. “The genetics specialist conducting the analysis estimated at least a 65 percent DNA match between the shot bear and the bear responsible for the attack. While it is likely that the bear shot was the same involved in the attack, it cannot be confirmed without a better DNA sample.”

Biologists believe the bear that was shot “is likely dead as no bear activity at campsite 84 has been observed since June 8 despite extensive search efforts,” Soehn said.

Trails and campsites in the area of the attack, which happened about 4.5 miles from Fontana Lake near Hazel Creek in the North Carolina section of the park, will remain closed but may reopen soon.

According to the Soehn, “Out of an abundance of caution, park staff is continuing their search and investigation while the temporary closure remains in effect. Managers will assess later in the week whether it would be reasonably safe to end the closure at that time following a few more days of search efforts.”

The boy who was mauled, Gabriel Alexander of Athens, Ohio, spent five days at Mission Hospital undergoing treatment for serious bite wounds on his scalp and face. He was camping with his father, Greg Alexander, when the bear attacked at about 10:30 p.m. The father kicked and punched the bear until it let go of his son.

Park officials said the Alexanders were following bear protocols and had properly stored their food on an aerial cable.