A 33-year-old man was rushed to hospital with life threatening injuries early Saturday morning after what police are sure was a targeted bear mace attack.
Saskatoon police were called to Rock the Bottom bar on the 800 block of Broadway Avenue just before 1 a.m. Saturday after bear mace was sprayed inside the building.
Officers found a 33-year-old Saskatoon man outside the bar in medical distress. He was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries while a 19-year-old Saskatoon man inside the bar was sent to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The 19-year-old was released from hospital around noon Saturday and taken into police custody. He is charged with firearms-related offences in relation to the incident.
The 33-year-old was in stable but critical condition as of noon Saturday.
Police said the two men are known to each other.
Jordy Lauze, an owner at Rock the Bottom, believes the attack was gang related. He wasn't at the bar during the incident, but spoke on behalf of what his employees told him.
He said performers on stage with headliner Joey Stylez, a hip-hop artist based in Los Angeles but who grew up in Saskatoon, taunted audience members.
"His manager started to provoke some of the audience members, who were gang members," Lauze said.
A few audience members left for a short period, but returned with mace.
"Two cans of mace were used inside and they were thrown on our performers on stage, but our door guys were able to get the cans outside and everybody out."
The show was the first hip-hop show Lauze said the venue has hosted.
"This is the first time we tried a hip-hop show and it is definitely the last time we're trying it."
