A man was arrested for spraying a person with bear spray in Ithaca, police said

A man has been arrested for allegedly spraying another person with bear spray in downtown New York.

New York State Police said Arthur L. Stewart of Ithaca was arrested Tuesday morning after troopers were dispatched to a report of a dispute around 11:18 a.m. ET. A person was sprayed with bear spray in a stairwell between apartments on Winston Drive in Ithaca, police said.

The investigation determined that Stewart and another person had an ongoing dispute when Stewart intentionally sprayed the victim in the face, according to police.

Troopers also said the bear spray Stewart used is illegal to carry for self-defense. According to New York state regulations, canisters cannot be larger than 0.75 ounces and contain no more than 0.7% capsaicinoid, the active ingredient used to deter bears from attacking.

Stewart was charged with Unlawful Possession of Noxious Matter. He was taken into custody and transported to the Tompkins County Jail for centralized charges.

Details about the alleged victim, including her name and condition, have not been released.

Ithaca is located in Tompkins County, about 50 miles southwest of Syracuse.