Teen uses bear spray against family — including baby — in targeted break-in of Hamilton home: police

Hamilton police have arrested a teenager for breaking into a family's West Mountain home, discharging bear spray and attacking four people with a knife early Wednesday. 

A nine-month-old baby was among those impacted by the bear spray, police said in a news release later in the day. Four people suffered minor injuries. 

The 15-year-old boy had arrived at the house near Upper Paradise and Stone Church roads at 2 a.m. in a stolen vehicle, police said. He was accompanied by a white male wearing all black clothing. They forced their way into the home.

The teenager knew the family and the incident was targeted, said police. 

Officers were dispatched to the home after receiving calls about "a large fight," police said. 

"The family eventually forced the two suspects out of the home and held one down until police arrived," the news release said. 

The teenager was charged with:

• Four counts of assault with a weapon, administering "noxious substance" with intent to cause bodily harm, and fail to comply with a release order.

• One count of break and enter, and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000.

• Seven counts of fail to comply with a youth sentence. 

Investigators are still looking for another person and have asked homeowners in the area to check security cameras for anything that may help identify him. Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers. 

9 bear spray incidents since December, police say

Police have reported several incidents in recent months where teenagers were in possession of or used bear spray as a weapon. 

Intended to stop a 400-pound animal, bear spray is a more powerful form of pepper spray, shoots at a greater distance and at a greater pressure, and causes excruciating pain. It's also readily available at outdoor supply stores and online.

Bear spray is considered a weapon under the criminal code if it's used against someone, police said.

Late last year, high school students reportedly used bear spray in two separate altercations, police said at the time. Then in January, police arrested a teenager for using bear spray on McDonald's staff.

In March, police reported two teenagers had used bear spray on a person after stealing their phone.

Later that month, police arrested two boys, 16 and 17, at a Mountain high school for possessing bear spray, and in a separate incident at another high school, a teenager attacked a fellow student with bear spray and was charged. 

At Limeridge Mall, three youths were arrested for stealing more than $1,000 worth of sunglasses from a store and possessing two bottles of bear spray, police said. 

Earlier this month, police said they arrested four males aged 14 to 17 for driving a stolen Audi and having a can of bear spray in the car door. A 20-year-old man was also charged for possessing bear spray after an altercation across the street from a high school.