Bear Rampage in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatky Leaves 84-Year-Old Dead as Boy Survives by Playing Dead

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia — A brown bear rampaged through the city, killing an 84-year-old woman, injuring a 12-year-old boy who survived by playing dead, and prompting a man to retreat into his Toyota Harrier to escape an attack as the animal charged near a sports area close to a nursery school.

On Okeanskaya Street, near a sports centre, the 12-year-old boy was chased by the bear and lunged at his backpack. The child fell during the pursuit, but officials said he calmly played dead, a tactic that helped keep him safe. Video footage released by local authorities shows the boy's escape, with the backseat door of a car slamming shut just as the bear rose on its hind legs.

After the boy's ordeal, the bear reportedly moved toward a man who had taken cover in his vehicle. The animal attacked the car, breaking a window and scratching and denting the surface before fleeing on all fours.

The attacks continued to reverberate through the city, which is the regional capital of Kamchatka with about 164,900 residents. The same bear later entered a sports field near a nursery school where the woman was attacked and killed. The regional health ministry confirmed the woman's death, saying she could not be saved after sustaining injuries incompatible with life and that condolences were offered to her family.

Health and wildlife officials said the bear responsible for the three incidents was found and shot by wildlife officers. Authorities reported that two additional wild bears had been spotted in the city, fueling fear among residents and prompting hunting inspectors and police marksmen to be stationed in the area as the city grapples with escalating bear activity in urban spaces.

Officials stressed that the attacks occurred as bears remain a threat in parts of Kamchatka, with authorities stepping up patrols and warnings in an effort to protect residents while continuing to monitor wildlife movements in the region.