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2 arrested in bizarre bear-spray attack in Salmon Arm

File photo. Police lights. Matt Rourke / The Associated Press

In a bizarre incident, three men involved in a bear-spray attack on a homeless man in B.C.’s Interior this week were hit by a car that they arrived in.

Police in Salmon Arm said the incident happened early Wednesday, around 3 a.m., along Narcisse Street NW, with three men arriving in a car.

One of them bear-sprayed a man staying in a tent at the end of the street, with police noting that all three suspects are from another community.

“The male victim was able to protect himself somewhat from the spray and got into a physical altercation with two of the male assailants,” said Salmon Arm RCMP. “The suspects then fled.”

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However, police said as the trio of suspects fled, “all three were struck by the car that they arrived in as they fled. The vehicle had been left running at the initial scene.”

In an interview, police said while the vehicle was left running, an unknown person jumped into the car and wound up hitting the three suspects.

The vehicle was then abandoned, with police locating it in a nearby vacant lot. RCMP noted they haven’t been able to identify the driver.

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The two men involved in the bear-spray attack were arrested nearby, said police, and were taken to hospital for injuries they sustained during the altercation.

“Two of the suspects, in this case, were released on strict no-contact and proximity conditions,” said Salmon Arm RCMP. “The exact motive of the initial attack using bear spray is unknown.”

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Police added they’re continuing to investigate and anticipate it will be referred to Crown counsel for charge assessments.

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Teens arrested for fight involving bear spray, imitation gun outside Winnipeg mall

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