WATCH: Man jumps into Bern Bear Park enclosure, Charlie the bear shot as terrifying attack unfolds

The £20 million Bern Bear Park had only been open for a few weeks when horrifying scenes played out before stunned visitors. A 25-year-old man, after sitting on a wall above the enclosure, suddenly leapt inside facing what seemed like certain death in full view of families enjoying a day out in Switzerland.

The Incident

Inside the habitat, a 40 stone brown bear reacted instantly. It lunged at the intruder, dragging him across the ground with terrifying ease. Rising up on its hind legs, the massive predator clamped its jaws onto the man’s shoulders, leaving him powerless.

In a dramatic and heartbreaking turn, it was the bear who was shot by police officers desperate to save the man. Though the victim suffered severe injuries, he survived and was rushed to hospital in serious but stable condition.

Photographs documented the moment Charlie, a four-year-old European brown bear, realised a stranger had entered his territory. Charlie moved fast, pinning the man to the ground with his enormous paws while holding him firmly in his jaws.

Eyewitness Sam Brookes recounted: “I heard people screaming and looked over. The bear was standing over him, tossing him around. Some people yelled, ‘Get stones!’ to throw at the bear. Everyone was frozen in fear. I can still see it when I close my eyes.”

The man—reported to be struggling with mental health issues—had lingered on the wall for nearly ten minutes before making the 13-foot jump. His hesitation allowed staff enough time to alert authorities.

Police, armed with 9mm fragmentation rounds designed to splinter on impact, arrived seconds before he dropped into the pit. When Charlie’s teeth sank into the man’s body, officers made the split-second decision to fire. The shot struck the bear in the chest.

Rescuers quickly entered the enclosure, lifting the injured man onto a stretcher before rushing him to an ambulance. He later received treatment for serious head and leg injuries. Meanwhile, Charlie’s condition was declared critical. Veterinarians chose not to remove the bullet fragments, instead treating him with antibiotics. Against the odds, he survived.

Community Reaction

The incident sparked an outpouring of sympathy for the bear. Visitors left flowers, cards, and pots of honey outside Charlie’s enclosure in support of his recovery. Today, according to Swiss tourism reports, Charlie remains at the park, living with his companion Björk and their cubs, Berna and Ursina.

Bears have symbolized the city of Bern since the Middle Ages, and the animals have been kept in the area for more than 150 years. During that time, at least six people have fallen into bear enclosures. The Bern Bear Park—opened just one month before the attack—had been widely praised for offering a more natural, spacious environment for its resident bears.