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Saskatoon police have confirmed an 18-year-old man from Mosquito First Nation is facing several weapons charges after allegedly bear-spraying a person during an altercation outside Hudsons bar on 21st Street East on Sunday.
Greg Clark, managing partner for Hudsons in Saskatoon, said the incident occurred in the lineup outside the bar but clarified that the individual who used the bear spray was not a patron.
Clark said staff promptly helped individuals involved, noting that staff are well-trained and effective in managing such incidents.
In the last “13 years, we’ve never had that happen,” Clark said.
“We don’t have a lot of issues (and) we don’t see a lot of issues, but our staff has been very good at dealing with those situations.”
Clark said Hudsons takes a proactive approach when it comes to safety and incident response, noting the bar has well-trained security working every night.
Clark applauded the police for working with downtown businesses to ensure the area is safe.
“Anytime we call the police, they come down quickly and promptly, and they help deal with situations,” he said.
“Within our four walls, it’s extremely safe,” Clark said. “Other businesses (downtown) you go into, they’re extremely safe.”
Bear sprayings in Saskatoon
Bear sprayings in Saskatoon, numbers supplied by the Saskatoon Police Service. (Céline Grimard/650 CKOM)
According to police, officers were called to a bar on 21st Street West at around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday for a report of a weapon. Police said they found the suspect, but while he wasn’t armed the officers connected him to an incident involving bear spray on Saturday.
“No weapons were located but further investigation revealed that he was suspected to be involved in an assault that occurred the previous night outside of a bar in the 400 block of 21st Street East,” the Saskatoon Police Service explained in a statement.
“In that incident, the suspect was observed in an altercation with another individual before deploying bear spray toward the victim and fleeing on foot.”
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Police said the man, who is from Mosquito First Nation, was arrested without incident in connection with the alleged attack on Saturday.
He’s since been charged with assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, breaching probation and breaching court-ordered conditions.
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.
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.
— With files from 650 CKOM’s Mia Holowaychuk
