Video from Aspen resort shows Colorado bear attacking security guard

Security video from a resort in Colorado's high country has been released that shows a bear scaring and scratching a security guard. It happened on Monday in the kitchen of the St. Regis Aspen Resort and the security guard was treated at the hospital afterwards for injuries. The bear was euthanized on Wednesday night after being tracked down by Colorado wildlife officers.

In the video the large black bear can be seen lumbering on all fours past supplies in the kitchen. It then moves out of frame. The security guard dressed in black and holding a walkie talkie is then seen looking about in the kitchen apparently with no knowledge that the bear was right nearby.

Moments later the bear appears around a corner reared up on its hind legs. It appears to scratch the shocked guard on the back, and the guard stumbles on a small wheeled cart as he tries to get away. He falls face first onto the hard floor, then quickly gets up and rushes away as the bear gets back down onto all fours and continues its kitchen inspection.

"When he went down to the kitchen the bear was also in the kitchen, he did not see the bear -- it was behind a corner -- so once he made that corner he surprised the bear, the bear swiped at him and scratched at his back," said Rachael Gonzales, a spokeswoman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

After reaching a safe spot the guard called 911.

CPW officials determined that the bear had gotten in through an open door. They viewed the video and also decided that bear's behavior was aggressive to the point that it would need to be euthanized if it could be located. The first attempt to find it failed but Wednesday's effort was successful and the bear was killed. CPW policy is that if a bear acts aggressively towards a human being it must be euthanized once it is located.

The security guard's identity hasn't been released.