An intruder deer galloped into the New Brunswick legislature's departmental building Thursday morning and then made an explosive exit through a window.

Footage from surveillance cameras at the legislature first caught sight of the deer shortly after 8:06 a.m. AT when it was running west on Queen Street.

A deer ran into New Brunswick's legislature building in Fredericton at 8:06 a.m. on Thursday, and was chased by security officials before fleeing.
(CBC)

It shows the animal veering right suddenly, and up the stone steps and through the building's door, which was propped open.

Once inside the building in the heart of Fredericton, the deer entered an elevator and exited. It then got into the legislature's press gallery, where it reportedly trampled at least one workstation and left clumps of fur.

Another surveillance camera captured images of the deer crashing through a glass window on the building's west side, and continuing through the parking lot. Security officials say they chased it for a distance, noting the deer continued along the St. John River.

"Short of building a fence around the legislature, I don't know what else we could do to prevent incidents like this in the future," said Dan Bussières, the good-natured sergeant-at-arms. "Keeping your door closed can go a long way."

Officials at the Department of Natural Resources say that at this time of year, mother does are shoving their yearling fawns off, as they prepare to give birth again. The young deer can become confused and often end up in populated areas.