Saskatoon police respond to three bear-spray incidents in less than 24 hours

A number of criminal cases involving bear spray kept police in Saskatoon busy in this week, with three separate incidents happening in the past 24 hours alone.

The first incident happened just after 5 p.m. on Thursday when a report came in to the Saskatoon Police Service saying two teens were fighting in the 400 block of 33rd Street West.

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“One individual is said to have deployed bear spray at the other in front of a store before fleeing,” the police service said in a statement.

The victim and suspect were both gone by the time police arrived, but an hour later police got another bear spray call, this one saying a group of six to seven youths had sprayed the chemical irritant inside a store in a shopping centre on Confederation Drive.

No injuries were reported, and police said the youths had fled before the officers arrived.

“Later in the evening, at approximately 8:30 p.m., an officer patrolling downtown was flagged down by a man in the 100 block of 2nd Avenue South,” the police service said.

“He reported that two unknown individuals entered a business wearing masks and discharged an unknown spray into the air before fleeing on foot.”

In that case, while the spray was some form of irritant, police said it was not believed to be bear spray.

“No injuries were reported during this incident,” the police service noted. “No further suspect description is available.”

Then, just before 5 a.m. on Friday, officers were called to 20th Street West for a weapons call.

“Upon arrival, an agitated man was waving his arms holding a can of bear spray,” police said. “He was arrested without incident and officers seized the bear spray.”

The 30-year-old man was charged with possession of a dangerous weapon and breaching a probation order.

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.