Saint John police seek information on three 'chemical irritant' assaults this week

A Saint John Police Force vehicle is pictured in an undated file image.

Police in Saint John have turned to the public for information on three separate assault incidents that involved the use of chemical irritants.

The first of the incidents occurred on Saturday, where police say three teenage riders on public transit, one of which was male and the other two females, sprayed a chemical irritant into the bus as they exited, before fleeing on foot. The driver of the bus was treated by EMS.

In a news release Wednesday, police described one of the suspects as wearing a red hoody, blue pants, and a backpack. Another suspect was described as having long curly hair, with their hair up in a bun.

Police were later called to Technology Drive, where a 13-year-old boy was walking down the road before he was robbed and sprayed with chemical irritant by someone in a dark-coloured vehicle at around 7:10 p.m. on Tuesday.

The victim said he heard a female voice before he was assaulted. He was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and no suspects were found at the time.

Just an hour later, police were called to Princess Elizabeth School after a report of a 52-year-old taxi driver who was sprayed with a chemical irritant.

Police say he picked up a male and female at a grocery store on Somerset Street, and drove them to a nearby school parking lot on Sixth Street. The man then allegedly sprayed the taxi driver with an irritant and fled on foot. The driver of the taxi was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police say the first suspect was described as a Caucasian male in his late teens with an average build and dark hair. He was wearing a matching brown and white tracksuit, with white and black Nike sneakers, and a flat peak ball cap.

The female appeared to be in her teens, with an average build, blonde hair, and wearing grey sweatpants, a maroon Harvard University hoodie, with black headphones or earmuffs.

Police say they are still investigating, and are exploring the possibility of these incidents being connected. They are asking for anyone who was in the area or has video footage or surveillance of the incident to contact Saint John Police Force at 1-506-648-3333, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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