The search for a wounded black bear near a Port Coquitlam park has ended in the animal’s death.

Police and conservation officers were called to Gates Park Thursday night after residents spotted the bear wandering in the busy park, and acting “aggressively” near a bike path.

Officers say when they tracked it down the bear lunged at them as many as three times.

Sgt. Todd Hunter shot the bruin once with his pistol before it ran into a wooded area. He told CTV News the adult male bear, estimated to weigh 200 pounds, was only a few feet away from him and was acting aggressively when he tried to push it back into a wooded area.

“The bear confronted myself. I had to protect myself. I did discharge in the bear. I had to react very quickly,” he said.

The wounded bear ended up running off into a wooded area but it could not be found. Officers returned to the park at first light Friday and located the animal using tracking dogs.

Conservation officers have removed the bear from the park, and a necropsy will be performed on the animal.

Hunter believes the bear was attracted to the area because of garbage bins in the park and nearby residential area.

He said the bear fit his department’s “matrix profile” for aggression and had to be put down.

“Not every officer enjoys this but it’s part of our duty. We have to protect the public,” he said. “It was put down very quickly.”

Earlier this week, a black bear in North Vancouver was tranquilized and captured after breaking into a woman's home. 

Conservation officers are asking people to be more bear aware, and property store garbage and discarded food.