Bear Chases Boy into Pennsylvania Dollar Store

A startling video has surfaced showing an Asian black bear pursuing an 11-year-old boy into a dollar store in Pennsylvania. Reports indicate this unusual encounter took place at the Family Dollar in Markleesburg.

Cole Frazee was shopping when his father went to check on him and suddenly spotted the bear staring right at him, as indicated by local news outlets.

As the bear came barreling toward him, Cole dashed off and managed to hide in a corner of the store. “When it came after me, I spun around, ran down the aisles, and screamed loudly. It was so close—about a foot and a half away,” he recounted.

Reflecting on the moment, Cole said, “I thought, ‘Maybe a bear will eat me.'” He turned left just as the bear charged right at him.

In a panic, Cole sprinted toward the cashier, who turned out to be the only other person inside the store. When the bear turned, the two scrambled onto the counter and bolted out the front door.

“She grabbed her coat, keys, and phone, and we just ran,” Cole said, describing their frantic escape.

Just moments after they fled, surveillance footage captured the bear leaping over the counter, towering over merchandise before landing on the ground.

The bear reportedly wandered around the store for about ten minutes before leaving the scene. “I felt relieved,” Cole admitted after the ordeal. “It was definitely a crazy experience.”

Large male black bears can weigh as much as 600 pounds, while females typically reach up to 200 pounds, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission highlighted that bears are currently foraging in search of food, which can lead to these unexpected and potentially dangerous encounters.