Nov. 21 (UPI) — Students and teachers were injured during a grizzly bear attack in Canada, and authorities are warning locals to stay indoors until they can find the bear.
The attack happened Thursday in the Bella Coola Valley of the Nuxalk Nation in British Columbia. The CBC reported that two people were critically injured, two were seriously hurt and others were treated at the scene.
The group were from the Acwsalcta School, about 435 miles northwest of Vancouver.
A male teacher “got the whole brunt of it” and some children got sprayed with bear spray as the adults tried to scare the bear away, parent Veronica Schooner told the Canadian Press, Canada’s state news agency.
Schooner’s 10-year-old son was part of the group, but wasn’t attacked.
“He said that bear ran so close to him, but it was going after somebody else,” she said, noting that “he even felt its fur.”
“Officers are armed” the Nation said on Facebook. “Remain indoors and off the highway.” The Facebook page also told people not to walk anywhere and take the bus, which is free to ride.
The Nation’s officials have temporarily shut the school and are offering counselling services.
