Man accidentally discharges bear spray in Salmon Arm store, thinking it’s fragrance

A man in Salmon Arm accidentally sprayed bear repellent inside a store, affecting up to 10 employees and customers, according to police.

It happened on Tuesday when a customer tested an aerosol spray can that was displayed on a shelf.

RCMP and ambulance crews attended the business on Beatty Ave. NW after getting a report of someone accidentally discharging bear repellent.

“The male in his 70s did not know what the can contained as the label on the container was concealed,” Cpl. Dan Moskaluk with South East District RCMP said in a news release.

“The male, thinking it was a container of spray fragrance, discharged the contents in the store.”

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When police got there, the man who accidentally discharged the noxious gas identified himself to officers.

“Officers confirmed that this was not an act of someone with any intent to cause people harm,” Moskaluk said.

Mokaluk said the business advised police that bear spray isn’t a product sold at the store and that it shouldn’t have been on the store shelf in the first place.

“The business is taking internal action to determine how the can of aerosol bear repellent made it past their screening process of donated goods and ended up on the shelf,” Moskaluk said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The business is taking internal action to determine how the can of aerosol bear repellent made it past their screening process of donated goods and ended up on the shelf," Moskaluk said.

Police determined no charges are applicable in this case.