Two people are in critical condition and two others have sustained serious injuries following a grizzly bear attack near Bella Coola, B.C., on Thursday, according to emergency officials.B.C. Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) confirmed it received a call at 1:46 p.m. Pacific Time reporting an animal attack on a trail near Hwy. 20. Two ambulances and a community paramedic responded, and seven additional individuals were treated at the scene but did not require transport..According to CBC, RCMP North District spokeswoman Cpl. Madonna Saunderson said police received similar reports shortly before 1:30 p.m., and that the victims were believed to be students. Parent Veronica Schooner told the Canadian Press her son, Alvarez, was in the mixed Year 4-5 class that was attacked by the bear while on a walk. She said that her son was so close to the bear that he “felt its fur.”"He was running for his life," she said. The mother referred to her son as a “little soccer star” who was limping so badly she feared he might never play again. “He keeps crying for his friends, and oh my goodness, right away he started praying for his friends, right? Because everything was so uncertain.”Hzita Brown Mack, grandparent of another victim, said the child required around 100 stitches as a result of the incident.'My heart shattered to see what the bear had done to her little body,' Mack wrote on Facebook.'She had approximately 100 stitches/sutures to close all her wounds so that she can be transferred safely,' she wrote.According to one parent, teachers intervened to fight off the bear, with one male staff member reportedly sustaining significant injuries and being transported by helicopter.Due to poor weather conditions at the time, BCEHS requested air support from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre..The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) stated that officers remain on scene with RCMP and have issued a temporary closure of the forested and river areas near the 4 Mile region. The bear has not yet been located.Acwsalcta School, operated by the Nuxalk Nation in Bella Coola, confirmed the attack involved individuals connected to its school community. The school announced it would close Friday due to the incident.In a public statement, Nuxalk Nation leadership said the community is “devastated” and is working to support those affected. Transportation alternatives are being arranged so residents can avoid walking near the area where the attack took place..“It is understandable if you are feeling stressed and scared,” the Nation shared on social media, urging residents not to search for the animal.Local officials say they are monitoring the situation closely. Central Coast Regional District Chair Jayme Kennedy issued a statement offering support, noting the community is “feeling devastation” as details continue to emerge.Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the attack was provoked or related to seasonal wildlife behaviour. Conservation officers continue to investigate.
