Student took pictures of bear approaching him moments before being mauled to death

The picture Darsh Patel took as the bear approached (Picture: West Milford Police Department)

Moments after taking these pictures, the photographer was mauled to death.
Darsh Patel, 22, went out hiking with friends when they spotted the bear and he started taking pictures of it.

Realising it was heading towards them, the friends tried to flee, but the student was attacked.
He was killed by the bear in September, but police have only recently released the image he took.
The bear was shot dead by officers when they discovered it guarding Patel’s dead body.
He was a student at Rutgers University and was with four friends when the deadly attack happened in Apshawa Preserve, New Jersey.

Fellow hikers warned them that the animal was there, according to NJ.com, but they went closer to have a look.

The last Patel’s friends saw of him was as he climbed some rocks in a bid to get away from the bear after they split up.

The group of friends only turned away from the bear when it got within 300ft of them (Picture: West Milford Police Department)