A 16-year-old young man was robbed at gunpoint and sprayed with pepper spray outside the Portage Place mall in the middle of the afternoon Monday, police say.

Winnipeg Police say they responded to the incident at about 2:10 p.m.

The victim told police he had just met the suspects, aged 18 and 17, inside the mall.

When they got outside, the two young men assaulted the victim, pointed a handgun at him, and sprayed him with pepper spray, police say.

They stole the victim's backpack before fleeing the area.

Police spotted the two attackers near Ellice Avenue and Vaughn Street. They were arrested a few blocks away near Qu'Appelle Avenue and Balmoral Street.

Both young men are facing armed robbery and weapons charges.

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