A grizzly bear kills 2 people in Canada's Banff National Park

Two people are dead in a grizzly bear attack in Canada's Banff National Park on Friday, officials said.

Park authorities received an alert about a bear attack on their GPS system Friday at about 8 p.m. local time. The alert came from the Red Deer River Valley inside the park, the park said Sunday.

A Parks Canada Wildlife Human Attack Response Team was sent to the location on the ground. The weather did not permit a helicopter response.

The team got to the location at about 1 a.m. Saturday and found two deceased people, as well as a grizzly bear exhibiting aggressive behavior, the park said.

The bear was euthanized on-site "to ensure public safety," the park said.

Police arrived at 5 a.m. and the victims were sent to Sundre, Alberta.

"This is a tragic incident, and Parks Canada wishes to express its sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims," the park said.

The area is closed until at least Nov. 30, according to a memo the park sent out.

Bears rarely attack humans.

In July, a woman was killed in Yellowstone National Park, though the bear was never found. A black bear nicknamed "Hank the Tank" was captured in August after breaking into several homes in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. Parts of Walt Disney World in Orlando were shut down after a black bear was spotted in a tree there in September. [Copyright 2023 NPR]