AP
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A grizzly bear attacked a group of children and teachers on a boardwalk in British Columbia, Canada, injuring 11 people, two seriously.
The attack occurred Thursday afternoon in Bella Coola, 700 kilometers (435 miles) northwest of Vancouver. The Nuxalk Nation said the “aggressive bear” remained on the loose Thursday night and police and conservation officers were called to the scene.
“Officers are armed. Stay indoors and stay off the highways,” the tribe said in a social media post.
Emergency Medical Services spokesman Brian Twaites said two people were seriously injured and two others suffered serious injuries. Others were treated at the scene.
Parent Veronica Schooner said many people tried to stop the attack, but one male teacher “beared the brunt” and was among those taken from the scene by helicopter.
Schooner’s 10-year-old son, Alvarez, who was in the fourth- and fifth-grade classes that were attacked, got very close to the animals and “even touched the fur,” she said.
“He said the bear was running very close to him, but it was chasing another person,” Schooner said.
He added that some students were hit with bear spray as teachers fought off the bear, and that Alvarez was limping and his shoes were covered in mud as he ran for safety. However, my son’s thoughts were with his classmates.
“He keeps crying for his friends, and lo and behold, he immediately starts praying for them,” she added.
Axalukta School, an independent school run by the Nuxalk First Nation in Bella Coola, said in a Facebook post that the school will be closed Friday and counseling will be available.
“I don’t know what else to say during this extremely difficult time. I am so grateful to our team and students,” the post said.
