Bear spray deployed in SeaBus terminal leaves commuters coughing, vomiting

The rush home on the SeaBus turned to panic Wednesday afternoon after someone sprayed bear mace just after people docked in Vancouver.

Cst. Amanda Steed with Transit Police says it happened just before 4:30 p.m., and believes this was a random incident.

“What we know so far is that the passengers disembarked off the SeaBus and as they were walking towards the escalators, the suspect deployed the bear spray, sort of just in the air but not anyone directly and then took off running.”

Andrew Murphy is a regular SeaBus commuter, and he says he immediately noticed people impacted from the contaminant upon disembarking.

“There was a person who had been vomiting, they were coughing and you could see there was liquid across the walkway. A SeaBus employee got his mega phone out to tell people to leave. And so people coming up, they were all coughing and choking.”

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Steed says police do not believe there was an altercation or conflict that led to the bear splay being deployed, however they are investigating to find out the intent.

The attack allegedly left some commuters coughing, and vomiting. Emergency crews arrived to help treat people for their symptoms but no one was taken to hospital.

Steed is calling the incident “cowardly,” adding, pepper spray is very hard to remove from skin and clothes.

The incident did not disrupt sailing times, and the area has since been cleared for use.