A Sobeys grocery store in Edmonton’s Mill Woods neighbourhood was forced to briefly close on Thursday afternoon after pepper spray was used in an attempted robbery.
Police said at 4 p.m., two men entered the Sobeys on the corner of 23 Avenue and 50 Street, and filled a shopping basket with meat and other grocery items.
Police said the men alleged left the store with the meat without paying, which is when they were confronted by store employees.
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During the confrontation, one of the men allegedly took out a can of bear spray and sprayed two of the staff members.
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While one of the men ran away, staff and customers were able to wrestle the can of bear spray away from the second man and hold him down until police arrived.
EMS and firefighters responded to the scene, where several people were decontaminated.
No injuries were reported, but the amount of pepper spray that was used prompted the store to be briefly evacuated, a fire department spokesperson said.
Mervin Jordan Missen, 27, is charged with two counts of robbery, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon and prohibited weapon. The second man remains on the loose.
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