2 Winnipeg teens face numerous charges in connection with bear spray assaults on bus, at rec centre

Police have arrested two teens accused of using bear spray on nearly a dozen people spread across three locations — on a Winnipeg Transit, inside a business and at a recreation centre — all in the span of three hours over the weekend.

A 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy have been charged with 11 counts each of assault with a weapon, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release on Monday.

They face charges for several other offences, including assaulting a peace officer, possessing a weapon, identity fraud and probation violations.

Officers were called Sunday at about 3 p.m. following reports of bear spray being used aboard a transit bus on Empress Street near Sargent Avenue. Seven people, ages 12 to 60, were sprayed in the incident, including the bus driver, police said.

The suspects got off the bus and headed to a store on Empress near Sargent, where police say they bear-sprayed three more people between the ages of 16 and 52.

They took off and headed east toward a recreation centre on Langside Street, between Furby Place and Sargent. According to police, the teens bear-sprayed a 22-year-old staff member and slapped an 18-year-old who was there.

Officers were called and saw two people holding cans of bear spray outside the recreation centre when they arrived. The pair ran but officers caught them and found they had four cans of bear spray on them, police said.

One of the suspects tried to lie about his name, and he also spat in the face of an officer, according to the news release.

Both were detained by police and each already had warrants out for their arrests at the time.

Investigators haven't figured out a motive yet for the attacks. They believe the suspects didn't know any of the victims.

More from CBC Manitoba: