Two men with weapons barricade themselves in Vancouver grocery store

Vancouver police sent crisis negotiators to a downtown grocery store Friday morning after two men with weapons barricaded themselves inside.

The two men were suspects in a bear spray attack that happened near Burrard and Smithe streets, Sgt. Steve Addison told Daily Hive.

#VPDscanner: Two men have been arrested after barricading themselves with weapons inside a downtown grocery store this morning. They are suspects in a stranger attack outside the store. A VPD crisis negotiator convinced the men to surrender without incident. Investigation ongoing pic.twitter.com/Brw4m51hvX

— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) October 21, 2022

So far, the attack assault appears to be an unprovoked stranger attack outside the Robson Street IGA.

The suspects entered the store after the attack, and barricaded themselves inside the washroom. The store had to close to the public while crisis negotiators talked to the suspects.

The two men were arrested after the negotiator convinced the men to surrender.

The grocery store reopened around 11 am, and police are still investigating the bear spray attack.