Eight people injured, two hospitalized after bear spray incident at DoubleTree by Hilton in Financial District. Police searching for female suspect.
4:43 PM
A hotel in Manhattan's Financial District was evacuated Monday morning after bear spray was released inside, prompting a large emergency response and leaving multiple people injured.
The FDNY was called to the DoubleTree by Hilton New York Downtown at 8 Stone Street just before 8:15 a.m. for reports of fumes inside the building. According to authorities, the bear spray was released on the 20th floor of the hotel.
Police said eight people suffered minor injuries as a result of the incident, with two of them transported to a local hospital for treatment. The NYPD is investigating the circumstances surrounding the release of the chemical agent.
Authorities said an altercation broke out over luggage around 7:30 a.m. According to officials, the suspect and victim are known to each other. At least one female guest was sprayed with bear spray by another female guest during the dispute.
One hotel guest described witnessing the aftermath of the incident. "A woman was screaming in the hallway, 'Oh my God, oh my God,' and I opened my door to look out to see if somebody needed help, and she was screaming about being sprayed in the face with mace, and she had tears pouring down her face," the guest said.
Another guest, Jim Charlton, reported hearing a man threatening a group of women in the stairwell. "Looked like three women, and the guy sounded really angry. This guy and the women were obviously trying to escape," Charlton said. "I got on the lift and was overcome by fumes, started shaking. I thought I was going to pass out. I actually thought this was it."
The hotel was evacuated, forcing hundreds of guests to leave the building. Authorities worked to ensure the air inside was safe to breathe before allowing guests back in. The issue was resolved and guests were permitted to return to the hotel.
Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage as they search for the woman believed responsible for spraying the bear spray. Police said the suspect sprayed the chemical agent after the dispute over luggage.
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