Man Says He Was Attacked by a Bear Outside His Home, Terrifying Video Shows the Animal Charging Toward Him

A Florida man says he was attacked by a bear while leaving his home.

Alexander Rojas, 23, from Apopka in Orange County, said he was leaving for work around 4 a.m. on Aug. 15 when he came face-to-face with two young black bears, according to local news outlet WESH 2 and USA Today.

Ring camera footage shared with WESH 2 shows Rojas stepping onto his front porch. He appears startled, and a bear charges at him. The video cuts out just before the bear makes contact.

“For some odd reason, he [the bear] turned around, did more stutter steps toward me and bit my arm and then clawed my rib cage,” Rojas told WESH 2. “I was able to kick his feet out and knock him in the nose.”

Rojas ran to a neighbor’s home and called his girlfriend. “She had heard me screaming, and I was telling her to bring me towels. I was bleeding all over the ground,” he said. He then went to the ER, where he received tetanus and rabies shots.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the incident, according to WESH 2. PEOPLE reached out to the commission for comment on Saturday, Aug. 30, but did not get an immediate response.

Rojas shared more details about the encounter on a GoFundMe page set up by his sister, Yhelisa Rojas, to help cover his medical bills.

“In that moment, I had three immediate options,” he recalled. “Attempt to open the door while a bear was still within five feet, run left where another bear of similar size was approximately 30 feet away, or run right toward the woods where the mother bear could potentially be.”

“I had to make a rapid decision under pressure. Ultimately, I evaded both bears by hurdling over a vehicle and moving into an open space further down the street,” he continued.

He added, “I want to emphasize that I did not harm or kill any of the bears. No bears were harmed during the encounter. My intent in sharing this information is solely to raise community awareness.”

Rojas also said he might have possible nerve or tendon damage in his forearm from the bite.

As of Aug. 30, the GoFundMe has raised $1,121 toward its $3,500 goal.