RCMP are searching for four male suspects after dozens of shoppers, including children, were hit by bear spray at a Calgary-area mall Thursday night.

The suspects were involved in an alleged theft at the Tommy Hilfiger store and later entered the CrossIron Mills mall’s food court where two of the males attempted to steal a tip jar from a vendor, police allege.

An employee of another food stall witnessed the alleged robbery and attempted to stop the suspects. Police said a third suspect knocked the employee to the ground, and a fourth suspect allegedly sprayed bear spray at the employee and a nearby shopper.

The suspects then fled in a stolen silver Hyundai Elantra with Alberta licence plate BVV 0131.

Emergency services were called to the scene and treated six people for direct exposure to bear spray. Twenty more people in the vicinity were affected, including children.

“One of the people who got sprayed was holding the hand of his child at the time when this took place, so that child unfortunately did suffer the effects,” Cpl. Curtis Peters from the RCMP told CTV Calgary on Friday. “Other families in the area having their supper and that sort of thing, they also suffered exposure to bear spray.”

Bear spray victim Lyla McCaull told CTV Calgary it felt like having “18 little tickles” in her throat.

“I couldn’t stop coughing. I almost threw up,” she said.

Police said the use of bear spray in a public place is a serious matter.

“It’s quite painful. It attacks the respiratory system as well as the eyes, so it makes breathing very difficult,” said Peters.

RCMP have released surveillance video stills of the suspects and are asking anyone with information to contact the Airdrie RCMP detachment.

With files from CTV Calgary’s Jaclyn Brown and Ryan White