Many homeless in La Ronge have ended up in the hospital due to recent attacks. (Photo 40995064 © Katarzyna Bialasiewicz | Dreamstime.com)

By Derek Cornet

lack of respect

Homeless in La Ronge targeted in bear mace attacks

Jun 4, 2024 | 4:34 PM

The homeless population in La Ronge is speaking out after becoming victims of repeated bear mace attacks in the last month.

larongeNOW spoke to five homeless individuals, who all expressed fear of the attacks, which are escalating and starting to occur on a more regular basis. They said it’s a group of four to six young people who are responsible who are likely between the ages of 14 to 18.

The most recent attack occurred on Monday night.

“We’ve been getting attacked at our campsite. There are about 12 of us who ended up in the hospital in about three weeks,” said one individual who larongeNOW agreed not to identify.

“I have a sickness. I have asthma and liver disease and they bear maced my tent. I couldn’t handle it. I ended up in the hospital. They had to do stuff to my eyes and they had to give me a puffer. They had to give me oxygen because I couldn’t breathe.”

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The group responsible have been showing up on bikes wearing black clothing and masks. They tend to ask for cigarettes or alcohol, before they begin to attack. The bear mace is destroying tents and clothing, and the homeless are frightened to go back to their camps.

Last night, several slept outside of the La Ronge Canada Post so they would be in public view.

“I wish they (the community) would do something because this is getting ridiculous because our lives are in danger. Every night we have to worry where we are going to sleep,” the individual said.

“We never did anything for them to come and attack us. We are just trying to live our lives how we have to and now we are getting attacked almost every day.”

Another individual larongeNOW spoke to said they are being terrorized.

“They keep coming back every night, every night and keep attacking us. They won’t let up. They are terrorizing. We can’t even go back to our camps,” they said.

“We shouldn’t have to fear for our lives. Some of us have asthma and we are worried. If they get close enough with that bear mace, they can kill us.”

Tina Johnson is the manager of Scattered Site, which will be closed down on June 28, and she said the situation is disheartening. She explained several clients have ended up in the hospital with one man being admitted for more than a week. She added doctors were afraid he would lose his vision.

Johnson believes the incidents could be occurring because there has been a lot of discussion in the tri-communities recently about homelessness and people are more aware there are people sleeping in the bushes. She mentioned what is occurring reflects poorly on the young people living in the community.

“If parents could talk to their kids and explain to them the situation. These guys have nothing and what they are doing is not right,” Johnson said.

“Violence against anyone, whether it is homeless people or just anyone in the community, is wrong and parents need to be having these conversation with their children about violence and destruction of property. Even knowing where their children are at night.”

The RCMP are aware of an increase in bear spraying incidents over the last couple of months, which appears to be random acts of opportunity with nobody specifically being targeted. Right now, officers do not have enough information to determine if it is the same person(s) involved with all the incidents or if the incidents are unrelated.

They are currently following up on some leads and police have met with local businesses that carry the product and have had discussions on what can be done to help prevent this product falling into the wrong hands.

If anyone has information pertaining to any bear spraying incident, contact the La Ronge RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

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Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 3:25 p.m. on June 5 to include a statement from RCMP.

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com