BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. — A grizzly bear killed a trainer Tuesday at a private facility for exotic animals used in movies and television, authorities said.
Three experienced handlers were working with the bear at Randy Miller’s Predators in Action facility when the bear bit the 39-year-old man on the neck, said San Bernardino County sheriff’s spokeswoman Cindy Beavers.
The center’s staff used pepper spray to subdue and contain the bear, and there were no other injuries, she said.
The victim’s name was not immediately released.
Sheriff’s Sgt. Dave Phelps said the bear was a 5-year-old male named Rocky. The Predators in Action website says Rocky is 7 1/2 feet tall, weighs 700 pounds and appeared in a scene in “Semi-Pro” in which Will Ferrell’s character wrestles a bear to promote his basketball team.
Calls seeking comment from Miller were not immediately returned.
