Achi news desk-
St John’s police have dealt with two incidents involving a chemical irritant attack this week, but police do not believe it is the start of a new trend in the city.
Saint John police are continuing their investigation into an incident on Sunday where a pair of individuals were taken to hospital after being sprayed with a chemical irritant.
Police continue to ask members of the public to pass on any video or information relating to the incident over the weekend on Thorne Avenue, where a pair of individuals were attacked with an unknown chemical irritant at a campsite early Sunday afternoon.
Just two days later, police arrested a pair of youths (a 15- and 16-year-old) in an unrelated case after a 19-year-old man was contaminated with a chemical irritant around Westmorland Road.
Police do not believe the two cases are related at this time.
Although he hopes that no one else falls victim to similar incidents within the community, acting staff sergeant with St John’s Police, Matthew Weir, has some advice.
“The best thing to do if you come into contact with this and it’s on your skin or in your eyes, a cool breeze will often help ease its effects as well as flushing your eyes with cold water,” Weir said. “Certainly if there are more adverse effects contact medical help and get checked.”
He does not believe that the pair of chemical irritant incidents are indicative of a new trend in the city, despite two incidents in three days.
He also added that the police will continue to refer to these cases as chemical irritant attacks, rather than identifying what the irritant was in most cases.
“To say with any degree of certainty exactly what it is we would have to take a sample of it and send it off for testing,” notes Weir.
“I suspect that what was used in this case is likely to have been intended for animals given the symptoms present by the individuals involved, determining what exactly was used and how it was used.”
He says anyone who is threatened by someone with a chemical irritant should contact the police.
