Pepper spray was used to subdue and contain the bear, and there were no other injuries, San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Beavers said. Paramedics arriving shortly after the initial emergency call around 3 p.m. were unable to revive Stephan Miller.

The state Department of Fish and Game investigated but will not decide whether the bear will be euthanized because the attack occurred outside its jurisdiction on a private site, Morse said.

State occupational safety officials were sending an investigator to determine whether they have jurisdiction, said Kate McGuire, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Industrial Relations.

The Sheriff's Department was conducting a death investigation, but it is not a criminal probe, said spokeswoman Jodi Miller, who is not related to Randy or Stephan Miller.

The center had its permits and was up to code, so it will be up to the owner to determine what becomes of the bear, the spokeswoman said.

The center also houses two brown bears and a black bear, along with various snakes and reptiles, an alligator, crocodile, leopard, a mountain lion, four African lions and four tigers.

Friends of the Millers praised Randy Miller as a top-class trainer dedicated to safety and the care of his animals. Stephan Miller was also an experienced trainer, said Chemaine Almquist, founder of an exotic animal center in Phelan called Forever Wild and a close friend of the Millers.

"He has a perfect safety record. He's always on the ball, making sure everything is extra safe," she said of Randy Miller. "He's always the one who says, 'You've got to do this, check the locks twice, you gotta wear pepper spray.' When I first found out, I was ready to throw up."

In 1999, Randy Miller came under fire from animal rights groups for arranging a wrestling match between an 800-pound Alaskan grizzly and a 290-pound weightlifter at a public event.