Woman Uses Bear Spray During Fight At South Bay Grocery Store: Police

GILROY, CA — Two women were arrested on battery charges Monday afternoon following a violent confrontation involving bear spray inside a local grocery store, police said.

At around 4:53 p.m. on Monday, Gilroy Police officers responded to the Safeway located at 905 First St. Investigators said that a 54-year-old woman and a 43-year-old woman were involved in a disturbance that escalated when one party deployed a chemical irritant spray, commonly known as bear spray, police said.

The deployment of the spray affected several bystanders in the immediate area. Personnel from the Gilroy Fire Department and EMS arrived on the scene to evaluate those impacted by the irritant; however, police said no one required transportation to a hospital.

Both women were taken into custody and face charges related to battery, police said.

The Safeway was temporarily closed to allow for professional decontamination of the aisles but has since resumed normal operations, officials said