Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jul 15/98) - Three youths standing outside the Gold Range Hotel just before midnight Friday were attacked by a man carrying a weapon usually found in a police arsenal -- pepper spray.

"I was there after the incident occurred and saw four youths in the washrooms kind of washing it out of their eyes and face," said deputy fire chief Mike Lowing.

An ambulance was on the scene to deal with an earlier assault outside the Range and crews were brought to the attention of the pepper spray victims.

"We stayed with them while they basically washed it out and we also ended up taking one of them to the hospital," he Lowing.

The four youths were sitting on the steps of the Gold Range and the guy walked up and sprayed them all in a row, giving them little time to react. Other people received minor over-spray from it as well, said Lowing.

The youths did not have much to say because they were in pain, he added. Pepper spray burns mucus membranes and irritates the eyes.

Police who were on scene dealing with another matter -- a person was injured and laying on the street outside the Range -- contained the intoxicated man.

One man was arrested for assault with a weapon and taken to police cells. While in custody he was charged with possession of 4.9 grams of marijuana. He is scheduled to appear in territorial court in September.