Students flee as grizzly attacks elementary class in Bella Coola, injuring 11, some critically

A grizzly bear has attacked a group of elementary school students and teachers in the B.C. central coast community of Bella Coola, leaving two people critically injured and two others seriously hurt.

B.C. Emergency Health Services said seven more people were treated at the scene of the attack in the community about 700 kilometres northwest of Vancouver, which was called in just before 2 p.m. on Thursday.

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Veronica Schooner said her 10-year-old son Alvarez was in the Year 4-5 class that was attacked while on a walk and was so close to the animal “he even felt its fur.”

“He was running for his life,” she said.

Schooner said a lot of people tried to halt the attack but one male teacher “got the whole brunt of it” and was among the people taken by helicopter from the scene.

She added that Alvarez was “traumatized” by the attack on his friends, and three children were among those with major injuries, although Emergency Health Services did not confirm the ages of any of the victims.

“He said that bear ran so close to him, but it was going after somebody else,” said Schooner.

She said that when she picked up Alvarez, he was “in shock,” his shoes muddy from his ordeal.

“Everybody was in shock at the school. A lot of people were crying, and I don’t know, I just wanted my son, and I grabbed him, and then I took him home.” 

The Nuxalk Nation said Thursday evening that the “aggressive bear” remained on the loose, and that police and conservation officers were on the scene.

“Officers are armed. Remain indoors and off the highway,” the First Nation said in a social media post.

Schooner said some residents were guarding roads around the community.

North District RCMP Cpl. Madonna Saunderson says the attack happened on Thursday afternoon, but she didn’t know the age or gender of the students.

Saunderson told CityNews she didn’t yet know the extent of injuries, but they are thought to be serious.

Emergency Health Services spokesman Brian Twaites said in a statement that the attack happened on a trail near Highway 20, and two ambulances and a community paramedic responded.

“Paramedics provided emergency medical treatment to four patients and transported them to hospital. Two patients were in critical condition and two were in serious condition,” he said.

Twaites said the four patients who were most badly injured were taken by helicopter for further care. Weather conditions in the area were poor, so they called for help from the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre. 

Jayme Kennedy, the chair of the Central Coast Regional District, which includes the community of Bella Coola, said in a statement that she was sending “heartfelt support to the Nuxalk Nation” and all who have been touched by the bear attack. 

“We are all feeling devastation as we try to understand the magnitude of the attack and navigate what has happened.”

She said the regional district would be available to help in any way it could. 

Acwsalcta School, an independent school run by Nuxalk First Nation in Bella Coola, said in a Facebook post that the school will be closed on Friday due to the bear incident.

“It’s hard to know what to say during this very difficult time. We are so grateful for our team and our students,” the post said.

Schooner said her son and other pupils had been hit with bear spray as the teachers fought off the bear.

She said Alvarez was a “little soccer star” and when she saw him walking with a limp, because he had fallen and hurt his foot, she initially feared his legs had been injured so badly he might not be able to play.

Her son’s thoughts, however, were with his classmates.

“He keeps crying for his friends, and oh my goodness, right away he started praying for his friends, right? Because everything was so uncertain.”

In a statement posted to social media, the Nuxalk Nation said first responders were on the scene of the attack along with healers.

The nation warns residents to stay indoors since the bear still hasn’t been found.

The nation told residents not to walk anywhere in the area and that multiple ride options were available.

Both the conservation service and the First Nation have told residents to stay away from the forested and river areas of 4 Mile, in the Bella Coola River Valley.

Several grizzly attacks have been reported around the province in the last couple months:

• On Sept. 29, a grizzly attacked a hunter near Fort. St. James. Officers said the attack was likely defensive, as the mother bear was protecting her cub.
• On Oct. 2, another sow — this time with two cubs — attacked a hunter near Fort Steele. The hunter, Joe Pendry, fought the mother bear off and was eventually able to fend the animal off and call for help. He was flown to Kelowna General Hospital and went through multiple surgeries to his face and other parts of his body. Tragically, Pendry died of his injuries more than three weeks after the attack.
• On Oct. 12, two hikers were seriously injured in an attack on McGregor Mountain northeast of Prince George. The bear’s actions were found to be defensive, with the encounter happening after the hikers came across the bear with two of her cubs, BCCOS said.

The BCCOS is reminding hunters and backcountry trekkers to travel in groups, store food securely, carry bear spray, and make noise to alert wildlife.

If you encounter a grizzly, the service says you should stay calm and not run. Instead, you’re advised to speak softly, and back away slowly, or use bear spray if it charges.

CityNews has reached out to the Provincial Health Services Authority for more information on the status of the victims.

— With files from Charles Brockman.