Several People Sprayed With Bear Mace at Moncton Fair

An 18-year-old man is in custody after several people were sprayed with bear repellent at a fair in Moncton Friday night.

At around 10:30 p.m., Codiac Regional RCMP received a call from the fairgrounds on Mountain Road reporting that several people had been sprayed with bear spray by unknown persons.  RCMP, Moncton Fire Department and EMS responded to the scene.

The victims were treated and released and/or transported to Moncton City Hospital and Georges Dumont Hospital to be decontaminated and treated.

Police say 18-year-old Brendan Bastarache of Dieppe was arrested and charged with Assault with a Weapon. Bastarache remains in custody and is scheduled for a bail hearing in Moncton on Tuesday. The investigation is continuing.

Anyone with information about the incident, is asked to call Codiac RCMP at (506) 857-2400. If you wish to remain anonymous, please contact New Brunswick CrimeStoppers toll free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Bear repellent is a type of pepper spray that is used to fend off aggressive bears, typically in wilderness environments. It is usually more potent that pepper sprays used to deter human assailants.