Two kids, ages seven and eight, bear sprayed in Saskatoon: Police

Two young children and a bus passenger were among the victims in the latest string of bear spray incidents in Saskatoon.

According to police, three people were arrested and charged over the weekend as officers responded to three separate calls involving bear spray.

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The first incident happened shortly after 2 p.m. on Friday, when police were notified about a robbery in progress on Clarence Avenue.

“It was reported that a woman had stolen numerous items and threatened a loss prevention officer with a can of bear spray,” the Saskatoon Police Service said in a statement.

“Police located the woman a short distance away and took her into custody. She was found to be in possession of bear spray and the stolen items.”

Police said the 19-year-old woman was charged with robbery, possession of a dangerous weapon and carrying a concealed weapon.

The second incident happened just before 8 p.m. on Friday, when officers were called to the 500 block of Avenue X South. Police said two children, ages seven and eight, were suffering from the effects of the stinging spray.

“Upon police arrival, two more victims were identified, along with a suspect who was in possession of a can of bear spray,” police said.

The 18-year-old suspect is now facing four charges of assault, and he’s also been charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a dangerous weapon.

The third incident happened at around 8:15 p.m. on Sunday, when a bus driver reported that a bus passenger had been attacked with the stinging spray.

“The victim and suspect had fled prior to police arrival,” the police service explained.

“A short while later, a second report was received that several youths entered a business in the 300 block of 2nd Avenue South suffering from the effects of bear spray. Further investigation located the suspect, a 15-year-old female.”

The teen girl is now facing seven assault charges, along with possession of a dangerous weapon, carrying a concealed weapon and breaching court-ordered conditions.

Criminal use of bear spray has become more common in the Bridge City recently, and police chief Cam McBride said it’s “disheartening” to see the easy access criminals have to bear spray and other legal weapons.

“How in the world do we make a dent in this issue when private industry is flooding our streets with the product?” McBride asked during a recent interview on The Evan Bray Show.

Listen to the full interview with McBride:

The police chief said he’d like to see changes that could hold the original purchaser accountable for criminal acts committed with bear spray.

Police chief Cam McBride addressed the rise in criminal use of bear spray during an interview with Evan Bray on Tuesday. (650 CKOM file photo)

“Some may think I’m crazy to think that way, but people are getting this product and transferring it into the hands of criminals, and at some point there needs to be accountability,” McBride said.

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 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 lessons. 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 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 across Saskatchewan have responded to more than 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.