Colorado 82-year-old woman attacked by bear after it breaks into her home

A young bear broke into a Colorado home and attacked an elderly woman in the dead of night, according to officials.

The 82-year-victim fortunately escaped the encounter with only scratches after she woke up before dawn Friday when she heard a crashing sound and her dog growling, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a news release.

As she opened the double doors to her mudroom, a small cinnamon-colored black bear jumped at her, scratching the woman on the legs, the agency said.

She was able to shove the bear off her and quickly shut the doors to the room. The bear, which she believes weighed less than 100 pounds, frantically ran around the room before scaling a shelf and ripping through an open window screen to escape, parks and wildlife said.

Wildlife officials are now on the hunt for the imposing animal, which is considered dangerous because it injured a person. If captured, it will be “humanely euthanized,” officials said.

“Human health and safety always remain our top priority in any incident like this, regardless of how minor the injuries are,” Mike Brown, CPW’s area wildlife manager for the region said in a statement.

“CPW officers are doing everything we can to locate this bear. Luckily, the victim’s injuries consist of very minor scratches.”

A trap has been set at the woman’s home near Boncarbo, west of the city of Trinidad, which is close to the New Mexico border.

Based on the woman’s description, authorities think the bear is either a cub or a yearling.

The victim’s injuries were so minor she turned down medical attention.

While this is the second bear attack in the area in as many weeks, officials don’t believe the two are connected.

There have been four reported bear attacks in Colorado this year.