8 children treated after bear spray found on Yellowknife playground

Eight children have been treated for exposure to bear spray after someone spread the substance on playground equipment at Yellowknife's Range Lake elementary school over the long weekend.

Two playground slides, the seats of another piece of equipment, and the sand itself was sprayed with bear spray. An empty can of the spray was found at the playground.

"Why would anybody target kids?" asked YK1 school board superintendent Metro Huculak.

Some of the children exposed were already back in school this morning.

Huculak said the vandals also shattered windows in the school office.

Police are investigating.

Later today the school board will be installing a surveillance camera at the playground.

The district also has plans to install a camera at its Mildred Hall School. Plans were made after a 17-year-old youth broke in and caused more than $100,000 in damage.