Overview
- Eleven people were injured, with four still hospitalized — two in critical condition and two in serious condition — after Thursday’s attack near Highway 20 in Bella Coola.
- About 20 fourth- and fifth-graders from the Nuxalk Nation’s Acwsalcta School were on a riverside trail when the grizzly charged from the forest.
- Multiple teachers used bear spray and a bear banger to drive the animal away, actions praised by provincial leaders and community officials.
- The bear remains at large as conservation officers and RCMP conduct armed searches, and investigators say the animal may have been hurt before the incident.
- Acwsalcta School is closed with counseling in place, and residents have been urged to stay indoors and avoid the 4 Mile/Old Trail area until further notice.