Calgary Couple Bear-Sprayed and Beaten in Facebook Marketplace Ambush

On December 7, 2025, Jason Nguyen, a Calgary resident in the Dover community, listed a gaming laptop for sale on Facebook Marketplace. Around 3:50 p.m., two men arrived at his southeast home to inspect the item. Nguyen invited them inside to test the laptop, noting they initially wore face coverings, which he attributed to the cold weather.

Security footage captured the sudden escalation. As Nguyen turned to prepare the laptop for "as is" sale, one suspect sprayed him in the face and eyes with bear spray. The men then assaulted Nguyen, punching and kicking him in a violent struggle that moved from the living room to the front yard. Nguyen's wife, Nanh Au, intervened with a shovel, striking one attacker to defend her husband. The suspects dropped a phone and the bear spray canister during the fight but fled on foot without taking the laptop or other valuables.

Nguyen sustained bruises and scratches to his arms, legs, chest, and head. Au suffered injuries to her hands and feet. The couple received medical treatment but did not require hospitalization. "They sprayed it all across my face, in my eyes, and continuously sprayed," Nguyen recounted.