A massive grizzly bear carried out a frightening assault on a group of elementary school students and their teachers, causing panic among the pupils in Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada. The sudden appearance of the bear resulted in four individuals being hospitalized in serious condition, with an additional seven receiving on-site medical treatment following the alarming incident that unfolded shortly before 2pm on Thursday.

Veronica Schooner shared that her 10-year-old son Alvarez was part of the group of students attacked while on a walk during class. Alvarez had a close encounter with the bear, even feeling its fur, and had to run for safety from the menacing animal.

Reports indicate that a male teacher valiantly tried to stop the bear but ended up sustaining severe injuries, bearing the brunt of the attack. Ms. Schooner recounted how the teacher faced the full force of the aggressive bear.

Speaking to The Canadian Press, Ms. Schooner expressed that her son Alvarez was deeply affected by the incident, describing him as “traumatized” by the close encounter. She mentioned that Alvarez shared how the bear ran near him but targeted someone else during the chaotic event.

The bear responsible for the attack remained at large as of Monday. The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service announced the deployment of more officers to support the search efforts. Additionally, officers are working to locate and capture two other bears that were present in the vicinity when the attack occurred.

Inspector Kevin Van Damme from the Conservation Officer Service urged residents to avoid the area, stay indoors, and only travel by vehicle until further notice due to the high risk posed by the unrestrained bear. He emphasized the dangerous nature of the situation and requested cooperation from the community to allow authorities space to manage the ongoing search operation.

To enhance the search, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police Air Services helicopter equipped with thermal imaging cameras has been dispatched. Traps and cameras have been set up in the area, with any captured bears undergoing DNA testing to confirm their involvement in the incident before determining the next course of action.