Sasquatch Sightings

Account

M.T. Coppola, then a sergeant of military police at Fort Lewis, had gone to investigate strange cries within the tree line near the post stockade at approximately 3.30 a.m. A K-9 unit was also dispatched and was heard to fire five pistol shots, which were followed by a deep guttural growl building into an extremely high-pitched howling, and sounds of something large crashing through the thick brush. Later Coppola saw movement at the tree line and then an animal came out into a meadow about 35 yards from him, which he took for a bear. In the false dawn he could not make out features, but he realized that bears don't walk on two legs. The creature turned towards them (a captain was with him) and stood there, head moving from side to side, for about two minutes, then the animal resumed its walk, disappearing in the opposite tree line. He estimated its height as 7.5 to 8 feet and weight 500 lbs. It did not act as if it had been shot at, he thought it may have been a different animal.