Bear rampage in Kamchatka city leaves 84-year-old woman dead; boy survives by playing dead; man escapes into car
Wildlife officers later shot the bear after the attacks prompted police and inspectors to deploy in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, as residents express fear over rising bear encounters.
A brown bear rampaged through the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Russia’s Kamchatka region on the morning of September 25, 2025, killing an 84-year-old woman and injuring a 12-year-old boy, while a man managed to escape by climbing into his Toyota Harrier.
Eyewitness accounts describe the bear pursuing the boy on Okeanskaya Street near a sports centre. The 12-year-old fled as the animal lunged toward him and grabbed at his backpack. The boy later played dead, lying motionless as the bear pressed the attack, a response authorities cited as likely saving his life. Footage circulating online shows the man’s escape, with him slamming the backseat car door shut just as the bear rose on its hind legs.
The same rampaging bear then attacked a sports field near a nursery school where the elderly woman was attacked; she was taken to intensive care but died from her injuries. The bear also attacked the man’s vehicle, breaking a window and scratching and denting the car before it fled on all fours. After the animal wandered away, the child ran for cover to seek help.
Wildlife officers later located and shot the bear, authorities said. The incident added to concerns that the city, home to about 164,900 residents, has seen an uptick in bear activity as brown bears roam near urban areas in the Kamchatka region. There was “shock and fear” among residents that authorities had not prevented the animal from reaching the city centre, officials noted, and hunting inspectors and police marksmen have been deployed to patrol the area.
The regional health ministry confirmed the woman’s death, saying she sustained injuries incompatible with life and that resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. The ministry extended condolences to her family and friends as authorities investigated the sequence of events that led to the attacks. In the wake of the incident, authorities reiterated cautions to residents to avoid areas where bears have been spotted and to seek immediate help if a bear is encountered.
.as the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky continues to grapple with bear activity, officials urged the public to remain vigilant and reported that multiple sightings had been reported in recent days as wildlife teams stepped up monitoring and response efforts.