Boy Survives Kamchatka Bear Attack by Playing Dead

The morning of September 25, 2025, in the Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, turned into a tragedy when a brown bear that had entered the city's territory carried out a series of attacks on people, causing the death of one woman. Local authorities and hunting services were able to find and neutralize the aggressive predator shortly after.

The events unfolded in the morning hours.

The first incident occurred in a parking lot on Ozyornaya Street. The bear attacked a man who miraculously managed to hide in his car.

The next target was a 12-year-old schoolboy who was hurrying to school near the "Vodnik" sports complex. The bear struck the boy on the back and his backpack. The child fell and pretended to be dead, which caused the predator to leave. The boy sustained minor injuries and bruises but avoided serious consequences and was taken to the hospital for a medical examination.

The most tragic episode took place at a sports ground adjacent to school No. 3. An 84-year-old woman, who, according to some reports, was engaged in Nordic walking, became a victim of the bear. The predator inflicted severe head and arm injuries on her. The woman was immediately taken to the hospital's intensive care unit, but doctors were unable to save her life; she died from her injuries.

After the woman's death, law enforcement officers, employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and hunters immediately began searching for the predator. It was soon discovered in a nearby forest belt and shot. An examination is now being conducted to determine the reasons for the bear's unusually aggressive behavior, which could include hunger or some disease.

City authorities have increased patrols, especially near schools and forested areas. Parents have been advised to accompany their children to school. The prosecutor's office of the Kamchatka Krai has initiated inspections at school No. 3 to verify the proper implementation of security measures (such as the presence of fences). A criminal case has been opened on the fact of the woman's death under the article "causing death by negligence."

Kamchatka is one of the regions in Russia with the highest density of brown bears. In recent years, the number of their encounters with humans has increased, which experts attribute to climate change and the reduction of the animals' food base.