RCMP have shot and killed a black bear that was wandering near a Steinbach public school.

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Caption: RCMP were forced to kill a black bear that wandered into the City of Steinbach on Wednesday. (TheCarillon.com)

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Police said they were called around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning when a adult bear was spotted in front of the Shoppers Drug Mart in downtown Steinbach.

The bear appeared agitated and quickly moved into a residential neighbourhood and near a school where children were returning for the first day of class.

Although Manitoba Conservation officers had been called, police officers judged they could not wait since there were children in the area and shot the animal to protect public safety, the RCMP said in a news release.