Bear Searches Through Bozeman High School Lockers, Police Respond
Bears are popping up all over the place in Montana, but no one expected to see one wandering the halls of Bozeman High School. Officer Rick Musson and the Bozeman Police Department responded to a call for help today, October 14 at around 7:30 a.m., and he said he’s never seen a case quite like it.
"We had a report of a black bear that was around the footbal field and found an open door, and the bear made its way into the school through the hallways," Musson said. "Apparently it stood up and put its front paws on a locker and that's it. It didn't damage the locker."
Musson said the bear did no damage to the school. He said that it was fortunate that the bear came in before the morning bell rang and that a sheriff’s deputy was on sight for an early morning meeting.
"A staff member at the school came into their meeting and said 'There's a bear in the school!' So the deputy and the assistant principal found the bear in the hallways," Musson said. "They were the ones that were pushing the bear out. They opened some doors and just kind of walked behind it and encouraged it to find an exit."
The bear was not deemed a risk and will not be transported or euthanized. Musson said it disappeared into some bushes and ran away once it exited the school.