Alberta teens charged after Boxing Day bear spray attack results in $700K loss for mall

A Lethbridge Police Service cruiser is seen in a stock photo.

Two teenage boys from the Piikani Nation have been charged in connection with a Boxing Day bear spray attack in a Lethbridge mall that resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales.

According to Lethbridge Police Service officials, a fight took place in the Park Place Mall on the afternoon of Dec. 26, 2021 and several people were hit with bear spray.

The incident prompted mall management to evacuate the shopping centre and close it for the remainder of the day.

The loss of sales on one of the busiest shopping days of the year has been estimated at $729,000.

A 14-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy, both residents of Brocket, Alta., were identified as suspects and arrested on March 10.

Both of the accused have been charged with:

The teens have been released from custody ahead of their court appearance scheduled for April 27.