RCMP are investigating two attacks on residents who were bear sprayed in the face at close range last week.
On Thursday Feb. 1 at 2:55 p.m., a 14-year-old boy was riding his bike along Squamish Valley Road near the Cheakeye Substation when a passenger of a blue or green van, possibly a Dodge, approached him, reached out of the window and sprayed the cyclist with bear spray. The van sped away, and despite suffering significant pain, the boy was not seriously harmed and was able to cycle home.
A second incident on Friday (Feb. 2) has one victim worried over the fate of Squamish as a tourist destination.
At 11:30 p.m., Rayomond Sumariwalla was alone in his residence when he opened his back door to loud banging and glimpsed a male wearing a striped toque. He did not see a face or a canister before feeling the hot sting of bear spray in his eyes and throat.
When Sumariwalla slammed the door shut, the assaulter's arm was wedged and he dropped the can and retreated. Sumariwalla said he thought there may have been two men at his door.
"I didn't know I got pepper sprayed, but I knew that I was in a condition that if someone were to come in and attack me I'd have a pretty hard time defending myself," he said. "So I was a little frightened about that."
The man's arm finally retreated, but the can's top broke off and continued to spray the interior of the man's house. Sumariwalla picked up the canister and threw it out the door while it continued to cover his hands and body.
"I have to say, pepper spray is pretty painful," he said. "It kept on burning my face."
He then ran out his front door and yelled to neighbours to call police before dialing 911 himself. Ambulance attendants arrived quickly and treated the victim at his residence.
Sumariwalla said he's made some inquiries to residents and police and heard that this type of assault has happened several times before, but that it wasn't common knowledge.
"It makes me wonder why people haven't been hearing about this," he said. "We're becoming an outdoor recreation based economy," said Sumariwalla. "This type of thing can affect that tourism economy."
