Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe May 2 (UPI) -- A bear caused commotion in a Virginia city as local authorities spent several hours trying to remove it from a tree. Roanoke Fire EMS Department shared photos and video of the rescue on Monday afternoon as they tranquilized the bear to bring it down from the tree. Advertisement "Exciting day in downtown Roanoke," the fire department said. "Firefighters get called to rescue cats in trees but this is a first for rescuing a bear! We are told the bear is going to be just fine! Great job to everyone on scene." The black bear jumped from the upper floor of a parking garage in downtown Roanoke into a tree after being frightened by people who screamed upon spotting the bear. About 100 people had gathered to witness the rescue by 3:30 p.m. as police taped off the area and attempted to back the crowd away from the scene. A wildlife specialist was brought along to assist in the rescue and the bear was hit with two tranquilizer darts before the fire department used a cherrypicker to knock the sleeping bear off the branch and onto a yellow tarp. Advertisement "Luckily we got a dart into the bear and got it out safely and going to take it out of town," Wildlife biologist Dan Lovelace said. A Roanoke Fire EMS spokeswoman said the bears estimated age and weight was not available, but that it was "just fine" after the rescue and will be tagged and released into the wild Read More Bear takes a swim in Los Angeles-area backyard pool Black bear removed from tree behind Massachusetts home Bakery returns online trolls' comments to them in cake form
