Saskatoon police briefs: Woman bear sprayed in dispute over cigarette

A woman was bear-sprayed in Saskatoon on Monday after refusing to hand over a cigarette.

According to police, officers were called to 22nd Street West at around 11:30 p.m. for a report of an injured person. When they arrived, they found a woman suffering from the effects of the stinging spray.

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“Further investigation determined that an unknown woman had approached the victim and asked for a cigarette; when the victim declined, the suspect discharged bear spray into the victim’s face and fled the area,” the Saskatoon Police Service said in a statement.

Police said officers didn’t locate the perpetrator, but the case remains under investigation.

Man stabbed on First Avenue South

In a separate incident, police were called to First Avenue South at around 2:30 p.m. Monday after a man was stabbed.

“The suspect was reported to have fled into a nearby mall,” the police service said, and officers came up empty after searching the area.

The victim was taken to hospital for treatment, and police said his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

“The suspect and victim are not believed to be known to one another and police are continuing to investigate,” police added.

Anyone with information on either incident was asked to contact police or make an anonymous report through Crime Stoppers.

Man facing robbery charge after stealing alcohol

A 35-year-old Saskatoon man found himself in handcuffs on Monday after allegedly stealing alcohol from a business on 33rd Street.

Police said a loss prevention officer confronted the man as he was leaving the business, but the alleged thief brandished a knife and took off.

“Police later located a man matching the suspect’s description at a nearby bus stop,” police said.

“He was arrested without incident and found to be in possession of what was believed to be the stolen bottle of alcohol.”

What is bear spray?

Late last year, the provincial government announced new regulations aiming to reduce the number of criminal incidents involving bear spray. (650 CKOM file photo)

Bear spray is a deterrent containing capsaicin, a chemical found in chili peppers. The canister releases a cone-shaped cloud of spray at a speed of over 100 km/h, approximately 10 m away. 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 the bear spray is to wash off the residue with soap and water, don’t rub your eyes or nose, and rinse your eyes with clean water until the irritation subsides. The effects generally wear off in about 45 minutes, the bear awareness site says.

Late last 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 to hide or disguise the product’s identity. Anyone charged under the new regulations could face fines of up to $100,000.

According to the provincial government, police in Saskatchewan have responded to over 3,000 bear spray incidents over the last five years, but the total number of incidents involving bear spray could be much higher when factoring in unreported cases.