Crime

Bear spray clears Anchorage church, cops on the case

By Barry Leibowitz

January 10, 2012 / 10:06 AM EST / CBS News

Jack Hanna on "The Early Show," explaining the use of bear spray. — We're quite confident that animal expert Jack Hanna, seen here explaining the use of bear spray, had absolutely nothing to do with the incident at an Anchorage church on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2011 CBS

(CBS/AP) ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Police in Anchorage want to know: Who used bear spray in church Sunday, causing the premises to be evacuated?

Authorities say a church congregation scrambled away during Sunday morning services because of a carbon monoxide scare that, in fact, turned out to be bear spray someone shot off in the basement.

Anchorage station KTUU reports 200 people fled Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church due to the strange smell and irritated throats.

Firefighters ventilated the church with fans, and police are on the case.

Moral: Only use bear spray to scare off a bear.