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A 13-year-old boy is facing charges after allegedly discharging bear spray in the food court at Saskatoon’s Midtown mall.
According to police, officers were called to the mall on First Avenue South just before 4:30 on Thursday afternoon.
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But according to police, the teen suffered the effects of the stinging spray himself.
“Upon arrival, officers encountered a youth male experiencing the direct effects of bear spray,” the Saskatoon Police Service explained in a statement.
“Further investigation determined that this male may be in possession of bear spray; a search of his person located a canister concealed in his pocket.”
The teen is now charged with possession of a dangerous weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, and breaching court-imposed conditions.
“Police are continuing to investigate this incident,” the police force added.
Thursday marked the second time this month that bear spray has been discharged inside the downtown mall, following a similar incident on November 14.
In that case, police said two male suspects entered a store and discharged the spray before taking off. No arrests were reported, but the Saskatoon Fire Department helped treat several people who were suffering the effects of the spray.
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.
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.
