Black bear found wandering around downtown Solvang

Law enforcement and wildlife officials responded Saturday night to a report of a black bear wandering around downtown Solvang.

The animal was reported at about 9:30 p.m. in the alcove of a business on the 1600 block of Mission Drive, according to Raquel Zick, public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff’s deputies and state Fish & Wildlife officials were soon on the scene, monitoring the situation.

The bear reportedly was tranquilized, and was eventually going to be relocated, according to emergency radio traffic.

A shelter-in-place order was issued for residents living in the city’s downtown area, but was lifted at about 11:20 p.m. Saturday.