The black bear who lunged at an employee at a popular Gatlinburg attraction has been euthanized, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

On Thursday, the bear entered an open door of a concession stand called the “Bear Can” at Anakeesta Mountaintop Adventure Park. The employee looked to be taking out the trash. The bear was exiting when the employee returned to the stand.

A release from Anakeesta said the bear and employee “made brief physical contact.”

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said Monday that the bear was caught and has been euthanized. Several other bears, including a female with four cubs, were caught and released.

“TWRA does not enjoy having to euthanize any wildlife, especially bears and we don’t do it indiscriminately,” Dan Gibbs, TWRA Black Bear Coordinator, said, per The Tennessean. “We utilize what we call the ‘Bear Conflict Matrix,’ which was developed by wildlife professionals as a guide for addressing human/bear conflict. In this incident, the bear entered a concession stand with humans present and made physical contact with an employee causing minor injuries. Unfortunately, this bear was not a candidate for relocation.”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.