Update: A dozen pre-schoolers treated by paramedics after pepper-spray robbery at Portage Park playground in Chilliwack
Little kids were victims after assault between young people shared on TikTok leaves painful residue on play equipment
April 19, 2026
*Updated April 21, 2026
“I’m a youth worker and a few of my youth have been out causing trouble lately. Unfortunately, the victims are too scared of retaliation to press charges.”
That’s from one of more than a half a dozen people to contact this outlet after a scary incident with a large group of pre-school kids at Portage Park in Chilliwack Friday (April 17, 2026) morning.
Shortly before 11 a.m. BC Emergency Health Services received a call about the hazmat incident at the nearly five-acre park at the corner of Portage Avenue and Woodbine Street with access from Macken Avenue and Yale Road.
“Two ambulances with primary care paramedics, an ambulance with advanced care paramedics, a link and referral unit and a paramedic supervisor responded to the scene,” according to BCEHS Paramedic Public Information Officer Brian Twaites.
At least four ambulances, fire crews and RCMP attended Portage Park in Chilliwack Friday morning (April 17, 2026) after more than a dozen pre-school kids suffered painful burns and itching after coming in contact with pepper spray on the playground structure. (Paul Henderson photos)
“Paramedics assessed and cared for 14 patients. No patients required transport to hospital.”
Half an hour after paramedics were called, it was a somewhat chaotic-looking scene at the west end of Macken entrance to the park with RCMP officers, Chilliwack firefighters, and paramedics, along with a dozen kids, some crying loudly, caregivers holding and comforting as they could.
Eyes were being washed out and patients assessed for burns, but in the end no one was seriously injured.
A City of Chilliwack crew happened to be in the park at the time and sprung into action, taping off the playground structure so no more damage could be done. More crews were back later in the early afternoon hosing down the equipment.
Some members of the community were, however, pissed off and people want to see arrests and justice for the criminal behaviour that started as an attack Thursday night leaving the playground structure covered in pepper spray for the children to be exposed to.
Chilliwack RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Carmen Kiener responded Monday to a question asked late Friday about the residue on the playground structure left after the pepper-spray incident the night prior. Specifically, why was the structure not taped off before children arrived Friday morning if officers attended Thursday evening? Cpl. Kiener explained that there was no lingering odour when police arrived that night and no indication bear spray had been discharged directly onto the ground or the playground equipment.
"In open-air environments bear spray typically disperses due to wind, weather, and time," she said via email. "Officers had no reason to believe the park remained contaminated."
She added that officers did respond on Friday morning to the report of several young children experiencing irritation to their eyes and faces at Portage Park.
"Officers determined the irritation was likely caused by residual bear spray from a previous evening’s incident. The park was cordoned off, and the affected area was flushed with water to ensure it was safe for public use. The children were decontaminated and, a few hours later, were reported to have no lasting effects."
He said/she said
Soon after posting images from the emergency responders caring for pre-school kids, chatter apparently lit up in the halls of Chilliwack Secondary School and, unsurprisingly, social media.
The first message sent to this reporter was a screengrab video from a TikTok user with the name @bigtrappaholichzz, a video shared late Thursday night filmed first person by someone pepper-spraying two individuals on the top of the playground structure.
The next message received was from someone who saw the images and said she knew who the victims were and who did it.
“This isn't the first time my roommate has been maced by the group that sprayed them last night.”
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Asked if they called police, she said they did but that they were told to call the non-emergency line and when an officer called back, he said he would get statements next week.
Asked by this reporter if she was responsible, the person named said she was not, since she was at home with her kids and couldn’t possibly have left where she lives, something her mother confirmed.
And on it went with people sharing rumours about who was doing what to whom and who might be responsible.
Someone who works with troubled kids wondered if it might be someone she worked with because “this has been an ongoing issue the last five months with her. I will contact RCMP and press for charges if she is connected to this.”
Whoever is responsible, they might not get away with it this time with so many little children hurt because of their actions.
Cpl. Kiener said Monday they did not yet know who caused the bear spray incident, but it is suspected that it was targeted and not random.
"Officers are working with the victim of the alleged robbery to try and identify the assailants."
If you know who was involved with a pepper-spray incident at Portage Park late Thursday, April 16, 2026, call the Chilliwack RCMP non-emergency line at 604-792-4611.
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Paul J. Henderson
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