Kassel, Germany (dpa) - German police shot and killed one of two escaped circus bears Sunday in the central city of Kassel.

Police said the animal had bitten the leg of an officer who was trying to catch it.

Circus owner Daniel Renz voiced outrage: "Both these animals were 25 years old and had been circus bears all their lives. They were never aggressive. I could have led the bear away by its ear. That is what I did when I took the second bear back to its cage."

Renz offered no explanation of how the bears got away from the circus, which was encamped near the downtown area of Kassel. (dpa)