BREAKING: A bear entered a shopping mall in Khabarovsk this evening and ran around. The Podsolnukh shopping centre was closed and empty when the bear entered at around 10.30pm. Animal rights campaigners argue that the bear could have been contained in the mall and subdued in a humane way. However, police point out that it was injured by glass as it forced its escape into the streets and presented a danger to the public when it was shot in a playground. The bear can be seen galloping around, scared and confused in this video from Siberian Times:
The bear eventually found a way to escape the mall by opening two doors through sheer force, sequentially. The following video shows an interview with a local resident, and she proves once again that no one tells a story like a Russian woman, especially a Siberian. Here we see the bear escape and the fortunate escape of a local resident before the bear is shot by a police marksman: The Guardian
The relevant agency is investigating the event in the Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk, often called `Carrot City’ by foreigners for purposes of easy recall and humour. This is not the first time that bears have created a problem for residents, and last month police issued warnings (reported in Sputnik) regarding a Himalayan bear on the loose in the city. (Written by Nenada)