AP
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A grizzly bear attacked a group of schoolchildren and teachers on a walking trail in British Columbia, Canada, injuring 11 individuals, two of them critically.
The assault occurred Thursday afternoon in Bella Coola, 700 kilometers (435 miles) northwest of Vancouver. The Nuxalk Nation stated the “aggressive bear” remained on the unfastened Thursday night and police and conservation officers have been on the scene.
“Officers are armed. Remain indoors and off the highway,” the First Nation stated in a social media publish.
Two individuals have been critically injured and two had severe accidents, Emergency Health Services spokesman Brian Twaites stated. The others have been handled on the scene.
Parent Veronica Schooner stated a lot of individuals tried to halt the assault however one male trainer “got the whole brunt of it” and was among the many individuals taken by helicopter from the scene.
Schooner’s 10-year-old son Alvarez was in the category of fourth- and fifth-graders that was attacked and was so near the animal “he even felt its fur,” she stated.
“He said that bear ran so close to him, but it was going after somebody else,” Schooner stated.
She added that some kids have been hit with bear spray because the teachers fought off the bear and Alvarez was limping and his footwear muddy from operating for security. Her son’s ideas, nonetheless, have been along with his classmates.
“He keeps crying for his friends, and oh my goodness, right away he started praying for his friends,” she added.
Acwsalcta School, an unbiased faculty run by Nuxalk First Nation in Bella Coola, stated in a Facebook publish that the college shall be closed on Friday and counseling made accessible.
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“It’s hard to know what to say during this very difficult time. We are so grateful for our team and our students,” the publish stated.