A black bear that wandered through the aisles of a Dollar General store in Vernon on Tuesday and bit a 90-year-old woman’s leg was later euthanized by police, officials said.
The woman was brought to an area hospital to be treated, the state Department of Fish & Wildlife said. A store customer led the bear out of the store.
The 175-pound adult female had earlier been spotted on the side of Route 94, behaving erratically and weaving between vehicles, state officials said. Vernon police fired rubber pellets at the bear, sending it running into the woods.
About two hours later, a business owner called police reporting that the bear had returned. The bear reportedly attacked his dog and chased two of his employees before entering the Dollar General store.
When police arrived, the customer had already led the bear out of the store. Officers found the animal in the parking lot and followed it to another nearby property where it was euthanized, the Vernon Township Police Department said.
The 90-year-old woman was treated at the hospital for a wound to the leg and the dog was brought to a veterinarian by its owner, authorities said.
Fish & Wildlife personnel collected the bear’s remains for rabies testing. Results are expected in about three to five days.
Local residents said bears look for food in trash receptacles left open by local businesses and restaurant. On Tuesday, there was no food in the nearby receptacle.
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