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Gatlinburg police free black bear that locked itself inside hotel bathroom in wild viral video

A black bear in Tennessee decided to abandon the great outdoors in favor of indoor plumbing.

In a video that has now gone viral, officers with the Gatlinburg Police Department responded to a truly climactic call in the Smoky Mountains this week after a black bear locked itself in a bathroom at the Quality Inn & Suites in downtown Gatlinburg.

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The Smoky Mountains are home to approximately 1,900 black bears. (iStock)

According to a police report obtained by OutKick, officers responded to the motel around 2:33 a.m. Friday after an employee reported a bear in the bathroom. Officer Quayvaughn McCollum wrote that an employee “observed a bear entering the outdoor bathroom and locking itself inside.”

God forbid a man wants some privacy!

The footage shows officers carefully opening the bathroom door as officers and bystanders move out of the way, before the confused bear casually steps out and stalks across the sidewalk to freedom. One of the police officers is hitting sticks together and both are shouting to deter the animal.

Apparently the bear had nothing to do with humans anyway.

Landscape of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee

Landscapes of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are seen in Tennessee on November 10, 2018. (Patrick Gorski/NurPhoto)

Fortunately, the officers handled the situation perfectly and no one was injured during the ordeal. It all ended with only minor material damage.

Officers observed “a broken mirror shattering on the ground caused by the bear,” the report states. Damage is estimated at $50.

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As anyone familiar with East Tennessee knows, it’s not uncommon for black bears to wander through Gatlinburg neighborhoods, parking lots and hotels this time of year. But someone locks themselves in a hotel bathroom? This is something new.