JOHNSTON, R.I. (WPRI) — A hiker was forced to kill a coyote with his bare hands in Johnston Friday afternoon, according to authorities.

Johnston Police Chief Mark Vieira tells 12 News the coyote attacked the hiker in a wooded area off of Belfield Drive.

The hiker was able to pin the coyote down by its neck, according to Vieira. It suffocated to death as a result.

Vieira said the coyote bit the hiker in the leg.

It’s unclear whether the coyote was acting suspiciously prior to the attack. The R.I. Department of Environmental Management (DEM) recovered the coyote’s remains for rabies testing.

The DEM noted there have only been two reports of rabid coyotes in Rhode Island since 1994.

This comes less than a day after a dogwalker was bitten by a coyote in Scituate. The DEM is investigating whether the attacks are connected due to their proximity.

Since the attacks seem “too coincidental,” the DEM plans on measuring the bite marks on both victims to determine whether the wounds were inflicted by the same coyote. Those measurements won’t be collected until after the rabies testing is complete.

The DEM expects the results of the rabies testing to come in sometime next week.

Coyotes sightings become much more frequent during mating season, which typically begins in January and ends in March, according to the DEM.

Though timid by nature, coyotes will attack if rabid or provoked. If you spot a coyote, the DEM suggests scaring it away by doing the following:

• Be as big and loud as possible. Do not run or turn your back.
• Wave your arms, clap your hands and shout in an authoritative voice.
• Make noise by banging pots and pans or using an air horn or whistle. These sounds can also alert the neighbors.
• Throw small stones, sticks, tennis balls or anything else you can lay your hands on. Remember the intent is to scare and not to injure.
• Spray with a hose, if available, or a squirt gun filled with water and vinegar.
• Shake or throw a “coyote shaker” — a soda can filled with pennies or pebbles and sealed with duct tape.

The DEM also recommends taking the following precautions to minimize coyote encounters:

• Remove or secure any outdoor food sources such as trash bins, dumpsters, compost, pet food and gardens.
• Trash should be secured in containers and only put out on the curb the morning of trash collection.
• Do not place meat scraps or fatty items in compost piles. Make sure compost is secure.
• Avoid feeding pets outside or bring in dishes at night.
• Secure livestock in pens or buildings. Electric fencing can be used to protect chickens and rabbits.
• Keep pets indoors unless supervised.
• Never intentionally feed coyotes, as it’s illegal to do so in Rhode Island.

Anyone who spots a coyote is urged to report it to the DEM Division of Fish and Wildlife by calling (401) 789-0281 or emailing dem.dfw@dem.ri.gov.