Bee sting leads to assault complaint

A honeybee flies outside a bee hive at a Simon Fraser University experimental apiary in Surrey, B.C., Aug. 31, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

A Guelph man was briefly detained Tuesday after a Toronto woman reported she had been stabbed with a syringe, but he was released without charge after an investigation revealed the woman’s injury was actually a bee sting.

Emergency services were called to the patio of a downtown business around 1:15 p.m. after a woman in her 50s said her friend had been stabbed with a syringe and the suspect was still on scene, according to police.

Guelph Police detained the man, who said he hadn’t assaulted anyone.

Paramedics who were on scene explained that the injury appeared to be from a bee sting.

“Officers reviewed video footage, which showed the male never touched or interacted with the woman and he was released unconditionally,” police said in a media release.