Moviegoers pepper-sprayed during foreign film showing in Surrey, B.C.
Police are investigating a pepper spray attack inside the Landmark Cinemas multiplex in Surrey, B.C., on March 25, 2023.
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.
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