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Police are investigating after bear spray was discharged during robbery at a Saskatoon mall.
According to the Saskatoon Police Service, officers were called to a mall on Eighth Street East at around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday for a report that bear spray had been used inside one of the mall’s stores.
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Police did not name the shopping centre, but the address shared by police corresponds with the Centre Mall.
“Upon arrival, officers learned that a male and female were attempting to leave the store with stolen merchandise when an employee confronted them at the exit; the suspects then discharged bear spray into the employee’s face and fled the area,” the police service explained in a statement.
However, police noted, officers did obtain video evidence and the robbery remains under investigation.
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.
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.
