Moviegoers pepper-sprayed during foreign film showing in Surrey, B.C.
Police are investigating after moviegoers were pepper-sprayed during a screening of a Sri Lankan film at a multiplex in Surrey, B.C., over the weekend.
Authorities said the incident happened at the Landmark Cinemas location in Guildford at around 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
A man allegedly walked into a theatre showing the Sinhalese-language film Gajaman, discharged pepper spray at the audience, then fled the scene.
Cpl. Sarbjit Sangha of the Surrey RCMP said it's unclear whether the suspect sought to target people viewing that particular movie.
"We're looking into whether that theatre was specifically targeted for that reason, because of the language of the movie," Sangha told CTV News. "We're looking into all those aspects."
There were 20 to 30 people watching Gajaman at the time, including children. Paramedics treated affected moviegoers at the scene, but no one was seriously injured.
Surrey RCMP said they are working with other law enforcement agencies to determine if there is any connection between the pepper spray attack and similar incidents that happened at theatres in Edmonton, Alta., and Kanata, Ont.
Sangha could not confirm whether the same movie was showing during the other incidents.
Authorities asked any possible witnesses who haven't already spoken with investigators to come forward. They are also looking for dash cam video recorded in the area around the multiplex between 5:20 p.m. and 5:40 p.m. Saturday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.