A security guard was terrified when he encountered a bear in the kitchen of an upscale hotel in Aspen, Colorado, late Monday night.
In a video shared by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the black bear can be seen moving around the kitchen of the St. Regis Aspen Resort, before disappearing from the camera’s view to explore an adjacent room. That’s when the ranger arrived looking for the bear.
After following the animal’s tracks, the man encountered the animal, which did not appreciate the surprise. We can see the monster standing on its hind legs and striking the guard, who was hit in the back and thrown to the ground while trying to escape.
The man was able to escape from the bear and call 911. He was taken to the hospital to treat his back and was released from the hospital the next day.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife believes the bear snuck into the hotel through a series of doors leading into the courtyard. After meeting with a human being in the kitchen, he preferred to leave the area.
Wildlife officers were able to identify the animal thanks to a white spot on its coat. The bear was found and euthanized on Wednesday.
“Although it is common to see bears in Aspen, the white patch on the bear’s torso helped distinguish it from other bears in the area,” authorities said in a statement, explaining that wildlife agents had spotted other bears near Aspen before the bears were found. One of those responsible for the attack.
The organization reminded residents of the need to be vigilant, especially at this time of year when bears eat everything they can find to build fat reserves to get through the winter.
