Woman wearing hijab pepper sprayed in face on Fourth of July

The Kandiyohi County Sheriff says a recent pepper spray incident in Spicer may have been racially motivated.

Sheriff Eric Holien says on Independence Day a woman reported a man sprayed her in the face with a substance around 10 a.m. at Mel’s Sports Shop in Spicer, Minnesota.

Authorities learned there was an interaction between the man and the woman, who was wearing a hijab at the time. During the encounter, the man reportedly made racial comments and then sprayed her in the face.

Authorities believe due to her symptoms afterward that the substance was likely pepper spray or mace.

After using the spray, the man ran off to a vehicle and left.

The investigation is ongoing.

This incident was one of two pepper spray incidents in Spicer on the Fourth of July. Sheriff Holien says investigators believe the two cases are not linked.