Customers at a Dollar General in New Jersey witnessed an unexpected scene this week: a 175-pound black bear wandering through the aisles.
According to Vernon Township Police, the first call about the animal came at 1:39 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16, when the bear was spotted outside the store. Officers managed to scare it off, but less than two hours later, it returned — this time inside the store.
Police soon learned that before entering the Dollar General, the bear had attacked a nearby business owner’s dog and chased two of his employees. Although the dog wasn’t injured, the store owner said the animal’s behavior was clearly abnormal.
Inside the Dollar General, the bear reportedly “made contact” with a 90-year-old shopper, who was taken to the hospital. But in a surprising twist, witnesses said she initially brushed it off and kept shopping.
“I told her, ‘There’s a bear in the store.’ She replied, ‘I know, he swiped at me,’ ” recalled Christine Flohr, who works nearby.
Eventually, another customer, identified as real estate agent Sean Clarkin, calmly guided the bear outside. Videos show him coaxing the animal with phrases like, “Let’s go, buddy. This way.”
The bear lingered in the parking lot before wandering onto a nearby property, where New Jersey Fish and Wildlife officials euthanized it under their safety protocols. The animal, weighing about 175 pounds, was taken for rabies testing, with results expected in several days.
Clarkin, who had only stopped by for cleaning supplies, told The New York Times, “It just seemed like the right thing to do. But this bear was sick in some way — he acted like a really hung-over bear just trying to get through the day.”
