A terrifying encounter unfolded Tuesday afternoon in Vernon, New Jersey, when a 175-pound black bear burst into a local Dollar General—biting a 90-year-old woman and sparking pure chaos in the store.

It was around 4 p.m. when customers were suddenly face-to-face with something far more dangerous than discounted snacks: a wild black bear casually strolling the aisles. The bear reportedly lunged at shoppers and even went after pets, leading some to believe it might have been sick or disoriented.

Local real estate agent Sean F. Clarkin captured the moment on video as the bear paced through the store, with terrified onlookers frozen in place. “What’s up, buddy? You are one big, nasty mother—,” Clarkin says nervously in the video, before panicking, “Where the f— is the door?”

By the time Clarkin began filming, the bear had already bitten a 90-year-old woman in the leg. She was quickly rushed to the hospital. Another local later confirmed the same bear also attacked a dog in the area.

Authorities tried using rubber bullets to scare the bear off, but it kept returning—drawn back to the store like it had unfinished business. Ultimately, officials made the difficult decision to shoot and kill the animal.

Christine Flohr, who works nearby, witnessed the shooting and was heartbroken. “My heart just sank. I got tears in my eyes. I’m tearing up now just thinking about it. I asked the cop, ‘Was that just a tranquilizer or did you have to shoot him?’ He said, ‘We had to shoot him.’ I just started crying,” she told reporters.

In the video, Clarkin can be heard trying to guide the bear to safety, shouting, “Freedom, buddy, freedom!”—but when the bear’s behavior suddenly shifted, his tone turned desperate: “Get away! Get the f— away! Move!”

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Fish and Wildlife Division is now investigating the incident.

After the dust settled, Clarkin shared his thoughts on social media, pointing the blame squarely at local officials for failing to secure dumpsters and prevent bears from getting access to human food.

“After years—decades—of the municipality allowing restaurant and business dumpsters to remain open and unsecured, we’re now witnessing the consequences,” he wrote.

“When bears have easy access to human food, their population grows rapidly, leading to unnecessary annual hunts. If we reduce access to dumpster food, we’ll see a natural decline in bear populations and, in turn, less need for these hunts.”

The shocking incident has reignited debate around suburban wildlife safety and human responsibility in keeping wild animals wild.