A suspected bear spray incident caused a brief closure of a grocery store in Kelowna on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Kelowna RCMP, they received a report around 2:30 p.m. that a noxious substance had been sprayed inside the store, located on the 1900 block of Harvey Avenue.
As a precautionary measure, the store was evacuated and the area was cordoned off by police. The Kelowna Fire Department and BC Ambulance Service also responded to the scene.
After conducting a thorough investigation, it was determined that the substance was most likely bear spray. However, no injuries were reported and the store was deemed safe for re-entry.
The store was reopened to the public around 4 p.m. and business resumed as usual.
The RCMP is currently reviewing surveillance footage and speaking to witnesses in order to identify the individual responsible for the incident.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
This incident serves as a reminder to always use caution when handling any type of noxious substance and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
