After wandering into the luxury hotel late Monday night, a black bear attacked a security guard at the five-star St. Regis Aspen Resort in Colorado.
The incident, captured on security footage, shows the bear swiping at the guard and knocking him to the ground before quickly fleeing the scene.
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The guard, who remains unidentified, heard noises from the kitchen and investigated. As he approached, the bear stood on its hind legs and attacked.
After being knocked down, the guard managed to call 911 and was treated for scratches to his back at a local hospital, from which he was released on Tuesday.
Authorities launched a search for the bear, which was later spotted around 10 pm on Tuesday. Wildlife officers managed to haze the bear into a tree at around 2 am, tranquilize it, and remove it using a fire ladder.
The bear was identified by a distinctive white patch, confirming it was the one involved in the attack. It was subsequently euthanized and sent to a Colorado Parks and Wildlife lab in Fort Collins for an autopsy.
“Using the footage provided by the hotel, we were able to confirm the aggressive behavior of the bear and identify unique physical characteristics that assisted in the proper identification,” said area wildlife manager Matt Yamashita.
He also noted that the hotel’s clean kitchen lacked any food-related attractions. Wildlife officers encountered eight bears in downtown Aspen during their search.
Colorado is home to an estimated 17,000 to 20,000 bears, and the population is reportedly stable and growing.
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