Independent US presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has disclosed in a video posted online Sunday that he dumped a dead bear in New York City's Central Park about a decade ago, staging it to appear as if it had been hit by a bicycle.
Kennedy shared the story on social media platform X, seemingly in anticipation of an upcoming article from The New Yorker. "Looking forward to seeing how you spin this one, @NewYorker," Kennedy posted alongside a video of himself discussing the incident with comedian Roseanne Barr.
You don't get weirder than RFK Jr. talking to Roseanne about dumping a bear in Central Park in an attempt to get ahead of a story about it. We have his version, I'll be interested to hear the real story. This man is a maniac.
pic.twitter.com/vPDE50yfqB— TheRealThelmaJohnson (@TheRealThelmaJ1) August 4, 2024
In the video, Kennedy recounted driving to the Hudson Valley when he witnessed a woman in a van hit and kill a young bear. He claimed he intended to skin the bear and store its meat at his home. However, after a late dinner at Peter Luger Steak House in New York City, he needed to go directly to the airport and didn't want to leave the bear in his vehicle.
"I had an old bike in my car that somebody asked me to get rid of. I said, 'Let's go put the bear in Central Park and we'll make it look like he got hit by a bike,'" Kennedy said, laughing and adding that he thought it would be "amusing" for whoever found it.
This revelation appears to be connected to an October 2014 incident where the body of a black bear cub was discovered in Central Park bushes, prompting a police investigation. Reuters reported at the time that foul play was suspected, though state wildlife officials later concluded the animal was likely struck and killed by a vehicle.
Kennedy stated in the video that The New Yorker had inquired about the incident and was planning a "big article" about him.
As Kennedy continues his independent presidential campaign, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showed him favored by 8% of voters. However, he has yet to qualify for the ballot in many states ahead of the November 5 election.
