An 11-year-old boy was chased into a Family Dollar in Markleysburg, Pennsylvania by a black bear who leaped over the counter.
The animal charged through the front entrance, sending the boy and the cashier running for cover. The store video captured the moment the bear jumped over the front counter.
The boy, Cole Frazee, said he and his dad had stopped at the store when he walked outside to check on him. That’s when he saw the bear watching him. He said he expected it to turn away, but instead it started running toward him.
Frazee explained that he sprinted into the store with the bear only a short distance behind him. He ran through aisles looking for safety before reaching the cashier. The two climbed onto the counter to get a better view as the bear walked toward the back of the store. When it shifted direction, they ran outside and got into a car.
Video shows bear leaping over counter
Security footage shared by CBS shows the bear returning to the front of the store moments later and jumping over the counter. The animal stayed inside for about 10 minutes before leaving through the entrance. Frazee said he waited in the locked car with his family until it was safe to leave.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission said bears are actively searching for food this time of year, which can lead to unexpected encounters.
On the other side of the country, a bear in California took over an ice cream shop before local sheriff’s deputies had to escort it out of the building.
