Bear spotted in Prince William County

A bear was spotted running across the Manassas Mall parking lot Wednesday morning.

MANASSAS, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - A bear was spotted sprinting through Prince William County Wednesday morning.

Video captured a black bear as it ran across the Manassas Mall parking lot around 9 a.m.

FOX 5 viewer George Fedrick was driving when he saw the bear.

Bears may wander into residential areas because of the smell of food around homes from bird feeders, garbage, pet food, and grills.

If you encounter a bear, follow these steps:

Keep your trash secured and put your trash out the morning of the pickup, not the night before.

If you see a bear, keep your distance, the bear should move on quickly. Never run from a bear.

Call the Wildlife Conflict Helpline at (855) 571-9003 if you are still experiencing a bear problem after taking necessary steps of prevention.