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Bear spray incidents once again kept Saskatoon police busy over Thanksgiving weekend and the previous week, with seven separate attacks.
Two of the incidents were on city buses, while in another two boys aged 12 and 13 were the culprits, according to police, and several of the attacks are still being investigated.
Bear spray incidents are on the rise in Saskatoon — last weekend police responded to four separate calls involving bear spray, with three bear spray incidents and a Saskatoon school evacuated after a bear spray attack the week before.
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Saskatoon Police Service said in a a news release on Tuesday they were investigating three attacks on Oct. 11.
The first of those was at 2:20 p.m., when were called to the 2200 block of 22nd Street West after receiving a report of a man who had been bear sprayed.
Police found the man suffering from the effects of bear spray, and said he refused further medical care.
The suspect is described as a man, wearing jeans, a black jersey, black hat, and sunglasses, and police said the victim and suspect may have known each other.
The same day, around 6:10 p.m., police were called to the 200 block of 23rd Street East for another report of someone being bear sprayed.
When they arrived, police saw two teens attempting to flee but they were able to arrest both a short time later.
The victim did not wish to press charges, and police said a 12-year-old and a 13-year-old boy were released to their guardians.
Then, at 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 11, police were called to the 400 block of Fairmont Drive after receiving another report of a man who had been bear sprayed.
Police said the suspects had fled before officers arrived and a man suffering from the effects of bear spray was taken to hospital.
The next day, Oct. 12, police received a report of bear spray being discharged on a city bus around 6:10 p.m. in the westbound lanes of 20th Street.
A man on the bus suffering from the effects of bear spray was taken to hospital, and police said the suspects and victim did not know each other.
An hour later, around 7:10 p.m. police were called to the 2100 block of 22nd Street West for a report of a robbery where bear spray was used inside a business.
The suspects had fled with property belonging to the business before police arrived. Police said they located and spoke with the victim but no further information was supplied in the release.
Then on Oct. 14 around 12:30 p.m. officers were called to a business in 200 block of Idylwyld Drive North for a report of a robbery where bear spray was involved.
Police said he suspect left with property belonging to the business before police arrived.
There was also a second incident of bear spray being discharged on a city bus on Oct. 14 around 6:20 p.m. at 20th Street East and 1st Avenue South.
Police said neither the suspect or victims were at the location but believed that a man wearing all black with white on his sleeves bear sprayed a group of women.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 306-975-8300, or inform Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or at saskcrimestoppers.com.
Incidents come despite bear spray regulation update
Earlier this year, the provincial government announced new regulations aiming to reduce the number of criminal incidents involving bear spray.
The changes include regulations to restrict the possession of bear spray in public urban spaces, and a ban on altering bear spray in order to hide or disguise the product’s identity.
Anyone charged under the new regulations could face fines of up to $100,000.
Bear spray is a deterrent containing capsaicin, a chemical found in chili peppers. The canister releases a cone-shaped cloud of spray to a distance of approximately 10 m and at a speed of over 100 km/h. Capsaicin inflames the eyes and respiratory system of both animals and humans.
According to bearwise.org, the spray is oil-based, so first aid for bear spray is to wash off residue with soap and water, don’t rub your eyes or nose, and rinse your eyes with clean water until the irritation lessons. Effects generally wear off in about 45 minutes, the bear awareness site says.
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