On Thursday afternoon in the remote community of Bella Coola, British Columbia—a region about 700 km northwest of Vancouver—a wild Grizzly bear attacked a group of fourth and fifth-grade students and their teachers from Acwsalcta School (run by the Nuxalk Nation) while they were walking along a trail near Highway 20. According to emergency services, 11 people were injured in total, including two critically and two seriously.
One parent described her ten-year-old son as nearly brushing the bear’s fur while fleeing the scene; meanwhile, a male teacher was reported to have taken the majority of the assault’s impact and was evacuated by helicopter. During the incident, teachers deployed bear spray to deter the animal, inadvertently affecting some of the children nearby.
In response to the attack, local authorities including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service warned residents to stay indoors as the bear remained at large. The school announced it would close the following day and offer counselling services to students and staff. The community voiced shock and rallied support for the injured, as regional officials pledged resources to assist in the aftermath.
