3 people assaulted with bear spray in St. Vital area Monday night

A group of Winnipeggers face numerous assault-related charges after three separate assaults with bear spray Monday night.

Winnipeg police said officers responded to three separate assaults in the St. Vital area between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m Monday, according to a Tuesday news release.

The first assault happened at a convenience storeon St. Mary's Road, south of Vista Avenue, police said. A group of three people sprayed an employee in the face with bear spray before leaving the store, according to the release.

After leaving the store, police allege the group put on ski masks and sprayed a second person in the face, then left the area on foot.

Later on, a person walking on Meadowood Drive east of St. Mary's Road was confronted by the same group, police said, and also sprayed in the face.

Officers and a police dog found three suspects in a parking lot, and said the group resisted arrest. Police said three officers and a dog were also sprayed in the face with bear spray.

Paramedics treated all the people who were sprayed, and the police dog's handler decontaminated the animal, police said.

Police took a 13-year-old youth, 18-year-old man and 20-year-old man into custody. Theyhave been charged with resisting arrest along with multiple assault-related charges.