Bear Brown Gets Protection Order After Online Harassment Escalates to Threats

Bear Brown from Alaskan Bush People is now protected by court order after an intense campaign of online harassment. A Washington man who became involved in the search for Bear’s brother Matt, who recently died by suicide, allegedly crossed a serious line when he began posting dozens of threatening videos on social media, sharing the family’s phone numbers publicly, and making violent comments about Bear’s return to Washington. The situation reached a critical point when the man posted a comment saying he was“locked and loaded”and waiting with his dog—a statement a judge deemed an active firearm threat. On July 21, Bear was granted a temporary civil protection order keeping the man at least 1,000 feet away from him, his ex-wife Raiven, and all six of his siblings.

What makes this case particularly disturbing is the exploitation that allegedly occurred beyond the harassment. The man reportedly took possession of Matt’s truck and refused to return it, filmed and posted images of Matt’s deceased body, and profited from merchandise using Matt’s likeness without family permission or compensation. These actions transformed what began as involvement in a search and rescue operation into something far darker. The judge also ordered the man to surrender any firearms and undergo mental health evaluations as part of the temporary order.

This situation shines a spotlight on a growing problem: how quickly online obsession can turn dangerous, particularly when someone targets grieving families. A full protection order hearing is scheduled for July 28. Have you witnessed online behavior escalate to threatening levels? What do you think platforms should do differently to prevent this kind of harassment before it becomes dangerous?