The West Vancouver Police Department is deploying extra officers in two neighbourhoods amid a “substantial increase” in youth violence, notably with bear spray.
The incidents, concentrated in the Park Royal and Ambleside areas on evenings and weekends, began to ramp up in May. Seven involved bear spray, two involved knives, one involved an imitation firearm, and several have included drugs and alcohol, police said Tuesday.
The implicated youth are in the age range of 14 to 17, according to Const. Nicole Braithwaite, and appear to be targeting each other rather than other members of the public. Some of them have reportedly expressed a desire to keep bear spray with them for their protection as well.
“If youth are needing bear spray or knives for protection, it is time that we start asking who they are hanging out with and what they are doing with their time,” Braithwaite said in a news release, encouraging parents to talk with their children.
“If your child is going to be hanging out at Park Royal or Ambleside, we urge you to have an open and honest conversation with them about why they are congregating there. These places are becoming less of a haven for families and more of a place where we see an increase of violence especially in the early to late evenings.”
On May 6, Braithwaite said police arrested two teens in connection with an alleged bear spray attack at Ambleside Park, in which several people were injured.
Six days later, two teens reported being confronted by a group of other teens brandishing knives and pepper spray. No one was hurt.
Also on May 12, West Vancouver police received calls about several people being bear-sprayed in the Ambleside area, resulting in injuries.
Another youth was reportedly bear-sprayed on May 19 as well.
Braithwaite said police also arrested a teen in possession of an imitation firearm, who is believed to have walked up to someone and stated, “Let me know if you want me to pop anyone.” That youth was released with an upcoming court date.
“We had one incident of a group of youth swarming a youth and fighting him on the playground at Ambleside while parents were playing there with their children,” Braithwaite wrote in an email. “These are a few of the calls I was able to pull up, however we have had many youth related calls recently.”
Police are warning that if bear spray is used against another person or for the purpose of harming someone, it’s considered a prohibited weapon and charges could include assault with a weapon. Bear spray can cause serious injuries to people, they added.
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