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Bear spray used in tenant dispute

Salmon Arm RCMP responding to Tappen home invasion find occupants sprayed in repllent
9806528_web1_171214-SAA-RCMP-Tappen-Valley-RD

Police responding to a report of a home invasion at a Tappen Valley Road residence Wednesday arrived to find four people sprayed with bear repellent.

Around noon on Dec. 13, officers in multiple police cruisers attended a complaint of a disturbance in the 900 block of Tappen Valley Road.

“To confuse matters, the police were originally notified it was a home invasion because one of the people living in the house observed another occupant wearing a balaclava,” reports Staff Sgt. Scott West.

What investigating officers found was the result of a dispute between two tenants that escalated when a third attempted to intervene, and one of the disputants sprayed bear spray at the others.

“The investigation revealed that the person in the balaclava was a resident of the house and was wearing it to keep the bear spray off his face,” said West, adding that by the time police arrived, the occupants wished no action be taken. Those who were sprayed were treated by attending BC Emergency Health Services paramedics.


@SalmonArm
lachlan@saobserver.net

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