Kelowna Royal Canadian Mounted Police are investigating an apparent bear spray incident that occurred outside of a Big White Ski Resort pub on Sunday, December 14th. According to Castanet, police were called to the scene outside Snowshoe Sam’s Pub around 10pm.
Big White Ski Resort vice president, Michael J. Ballingall, explained in a social media comment that underage patrons may have been trying to gain entrance into the pub and were denied. They then asked people in the line if they would be willing to buy drugs or alcohol for them.
Earlier that evening the same group had apparently attempted to buy alcohol at the marked and were turned away. After being denied entrance to Snowshoe Sam’s the group left the scene and returned around 9:30pm with balaclavas on, once again attempting to buy drugs from a patron outside.
The patron shut down the groups attempt and they started a fight, which, according to Ballingall, Snowshoe Sam’s security attempted to break up. The underage individuals then started hitting those around them with pepper spray/bear spray.
Ballingall’s report states that the group ran away and the pub quickly became a triage area with around 15 people hurt, some of which had severe chemical burns. Everyone affected was supposedly taken upstairs in the pub and treated by the Fire Department.
Ballingall praised the service providers and Snowshoe Sam’s staff who assisted with the injured following the incident. No suspects have been named and it’s not clear if anyone’s been arrested following the incident.
