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Police in Saskatoon have responded to yet another bear spray attack at a downtown shopping mall.
According to police, officers were called to the Midtown mall on First Avenue South just before 5 p.m. on Monday after getting reports that bear spray had been discharged in the food court area after “a verbal confrontation” between two groups of youths.
Police said two security guards attempted to stop the youths, but they were sprayed in the process.
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“The youths were reported to be wearing face coverings and hoods, and fled prior to police arrival,” the Saskatoon Police Service said in a statement.
No arrests were made, and anyone with information that could help the investigation was asked to contact the Saskatoon Police Service or Crime Stoppers.
Canisters of bear spray seized in Saskatoon. (Saskatoon Police Service/submitted)
The incident follows a similar case last Thursday, in which a group of young people discharged the stinging spray in the food court area.
“While there were some people experiencing mild effects consistent with exposure to bear spray, no injuries were reported,” the police service said in a statement.
“The suspects were not located and we are continuing to investigate.”
The two-level mall has seen a number of bear spray incidents in recent month, including a case where a 13-year-old and 16-year-old were charged after allegedly discharging bear spray at one of the mall’s entrances on December 16.
Prior to that, a 13-year-old boy was charged after allegedly firing the spray at a mall entrance on November 28.
In another case, a group of male suspects entered a store and discharged a can of bear spray before fleeing on November 13.
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.
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.
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.