Seven canisters of bear spray arrayed on a table. Four bottle are red, three are black. They are all in plastic bags.

According to police, officers were called to the scene shortly before 11 p.m., where they found the victim with “serious but non-life-threatening injuries.” (Saskatoon Police Service/Submitted)

Man stabbed and bear sprayed by group of people on Avenue I South: Police

By CKOM News May 22, 2026 | 9:32 AM

Police in Saskatoon are looking for three people who allegedly stabbed and bear sprayed a 39-year-old man on Thursday evening.

According to police, officers were called to the 900 block of Avenue I South, in the city’s King George neighbourhood, shortly before 11 p.m. where they found the victim with “serious but non-life-threatening injuries.” He was taken to Royal University Hospital for treatment.

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While the suspects had fled before the officers arrived, police shared descriptions of the three alleged attackers.

“The first suspect is described as a male and was wearing dark pants, a light blue hoodie under a dark jacket with white stripes on the sleeves, dark shoes, and was carrying a backpack with a light up speaker,” the police force said in a statement.

“The second suspect was also male and was wearing a light hat, black jacket with white stripes on the sleeves, a black backpack, black track pants with two white stripes at the shin, and dark high-top shoes with white accents. The third suspect is described as male and was wearing a dark hoodie and dark pants.”

Police asked anyone with information that could help the investigation to get in touch with the Saskatoon Police Service or make a report anonymously through Crime Stoppers.

What is bear spray?

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.

In 2024, 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.