Black bear spotted wandering around Worcester, Massachusetts: "I was terrified"

Neighborhoods around Doherty High School in Worcester, Massachusetts were on alert after a black bear was seen roaming around on Thursday morning.

You could say the suspect in the chase really put his climbing skills on full display. A black bear was caught on camera scaling a retaining wall near Doherty High School, as Environmental Police followed close behind.

Parents picking up their kids from school spotted the bear meandering nearby. The busy bear trekked through town trying to find its way and half a mile away, it came face to face with Gail Barrell in her backyard.

"My heart was racing," said Barrell. "I was terrified, so he looked at me and kept going on, but I ran up to the house screaming."

"We've been here 22 years and never saw a bear," said Phil Barrell.

Moments earlier, the bear galloped across the backyard of a rest home before it climbed a tree then hopped a fence.

MassWildlife experts say it's mating season, a time when young bears have just been dispersed from their momma bears, so newly independent cubs could be roaming around.

Eventually, Environmental Police say the bear safely made its way to the woods leaving those who had a wild encounter with it still stunned.

"I'm very cautious coming outside now," said Gail Barrell.

On Thursday night, the bear made a surprise return, crossing a street in front of a WBZ-TV crew. 

Experts say there are lots of bears just west of Worcester and several times a year a bear ends up further into the city than it plans too.

If a bear is in a very populated area, contact the Environmental Police Radio Room at 1 (800) 632-8075 or the nearest MassWildlife District Office to report the sighting and get advice.