A massive grizzly bear that carried out a frightening assault on a group of elementary school students and teachers remains on the loose. The incident occurred in Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada, causing panic among the pupils. Four individuals were hospitalized in serious condition, while seven others received medical attention at the scene following the unexpected appearance of the bear shortly before 2pm on Thursday.
Veronica Schooner shared that her 10-year-old son, Alvarez, was part of the group attacked by the bear during a school outing. Alvarez had a close encounter with the bear, even feeling its fur, and had to run for safety. The male teacher who courageously tried to stop the bear was one of those severely injured, bearing the brunt of the animal’s aggression.
According to Ms. Schooner, her son was deeply affected by the attack and recounted how the bear narrowly missed him while pursuing someone else. She described the scene at the school as chaotic, with many people in tears, expressing her relief at being able to take her son home.
As of Monday, the bear had not been captured. The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service disclosed that additional officers had joined the search effort on Saturday. In addition to pursuing the bear involved in the attack, officers are also working to locate and trap two other bears seen in the vicinity at the time.
Inspector Kevin Van Damme of the Conservation Officer Service issued a warning to locals, advising them to avoid the area, stay indoors, and use vehicles for transportation until further notice due to the dangerous situation posed by the unrestrained bear. He emphasized the need for public cooperation to ensure the safety of residents and officers conducting the search.
To aid in the search, a helicopter from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Air Services equipped with thermal imaging cameras has been deployed. Traps and cameras have been set up to capture the bears for DNA testing to confirm their involvement in the attack before determining the next course of action.