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Male teacher reportedly got the ‘brunt’ of the bear attack
Erin KellerIn OhioSaturday 22 November 2025 17:01 GMTComments
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Three schoolchildren and a teacher were seriously injured Thursday in a grizzly bear attack in British Columbia, and residents have been warned to avoid the area as officers search for the bear.
About 20 fourth- and fifth-graders from Acwsalcta School, run by the Nuxalk Nation in Bella Coola, had stopped on a trail near the community when a grizzly suddenly charged from the trees and attacked, authorities said.
Multiple teachers intervened with bear spray and a bear banger, a pen-style flare device that makes a loud bang to scare bears and other animals away.
All four victims are currently receiving medical care.
Parent Veronica Schooner told the Associated Press that a male teacher “got the whole brunt” of the attack.
A grizzly bear appeared from the trees on a Bella Coola trail Thursday, attacking students and seriously injuring three children and a teacher (Getty/iStock)Schooner claimed some students were hit with bear spray. Her 10-year-old son, Alvarez, was not attacked by the bear, but claimed it was close enough to him to feel its fur.
“He keeps crying for his friends, and oh, my goodness, right away he started praying for his friends,” Schooner told the AP.
Acwsalcta School canceled classes through Monday and paused all outdoor activities and field trips.
Nuxalk Nation Chief Samuel Schooner praised the teachers’ “heroic actions” on Friday.
“Knowing that they were tasked with making the ultimate decision of life and death. They chose to lay their lives on the line for the students,” he said, according to The Washington Post.
The bear believed to be responsible for the attack remained on the loose Friday after an overnight search by the BCCOS failed to find it.
Authorities say the bear may have been previously injured before the attack.
“We recognize this incident is distressing for the community. We are in close contact with the Nuxalk Nation as our investigation continues,” B.C. Conservation Officer Service Insp. Kevin Van Damme said in a statement. “We thank them for their collaborative efforts to ensure community awareness and shared safety information. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we wish them a full and speedy recovery.”
The Independent has contacted the Nuxalk Nation and BCCOS for comment.
Residents of the Bella Coola are urged to avoid the forested area and river near 4 Mile and to stay indoors until further notice. They should not try to locate or make contact with the animal.
Anyone with information or recent bear sightings in Bella Coola is asked to contact the Report All Poachers and Polluters line at 1-877-952-7277.
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