A Saskatchewan man is facing several weapons-related charges following a bear spray attack outside a Saskatoon bar over the weekend. A video posted to Facebook shows an altercation between two men outside of Hudsons Pub on Saturday night. One man can be seen using a can of bear spray to attack the other man as onlookers gasp. CTV News spoke with a Hudsons operating partner who says he’s aware of the incident and says he’s proud of how staff handled the situation. In a news release, the Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) said arrests were not made the night of the incident, but officers found the suspect the next day when they responded to another weapons call at a different bar. As a result, an 18-year-old man from Mosquito First Nation faces a number of charges, including assault with a weapon. Bear spray incidents have been on the rise in recent years. Last year, Saskatoon police recorded 367 incidents where bear spray was the most serious weapon in a violent crime. That is more than double the data in 2022 of 176 incidents. From January to April of this year, there were 122 reported incidents. Police Chief Cam McBride has previously said a new bylaw or changes to an existing bylaw are being considered to curb the growing number of bear spray attacks. The Saskatoon Police Service has made a proposal to the city outlining what the service believes it needs to address bear spray incidents. An update on that request is expected before a city committee next month. -With files from Keenan Sorokan
