"Cloud of hundreds of bees" swarms Los Angeles neighborhood, sending 2 to hospital
Hundreds of bees swarmed the Los Angeles neighborhood of Encino Monday, and authorities said that the chaos that ensued resulted in two people, including one police volunteer, being sent to the hospital.
"There is like a cloud of hundreds of bees over there," Izak Kharrazi of local bee removal company All Valley Honey & Bee told CBS News Los Angeles. "I said, 'oh boy'... that's why right away I put my gear on, because I can see them. They're mad as could be."
At least two people were injured, including one adult man who had "multiple bee stings," according to the fire department, and an LAPD volunteer who was hurt while trying to get away from the swarm and received "dozens of bee stings."
CBS Los Angeles captured video of the swarm attack on the latter, which shows the volunteer officer attempting to swat the bees away as he was trying to get into a vehicle. He quickly starts attempting to swat them off his head and face, and ultimately stumbles and falls onto the road, apparently hard-hitting his head on the asphalt.
The condition of the first man is unknown, but police said that their volunteer has been hospitalized and is in "stable condition."
One local resident, Jerry Spotts, told CBS Los Angeles that he also saw a UPS delivery driver being attacked by the swarm.
"He started saying, 'run, bees!' And I got hit right in the lip," Spotts said.
It's believed that the bees may have originated from a hive that was fixed to a home in the neighborhood, CBS Los Angeles reports. The bee removal company on the scene sprayed the hive in an attempt to eradicate the swarm. As that was being conducted, the fire department issued a warning for residents to "remain indoors and close all windows/doors."
"This is not a normal behavior for these bees to be this angry, to want to kill you," Kharrazi said. "This is not OK."