Three rushed to hospital after triple-shooting

TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Enlarge Image

Police at the scene of a triple-shooting on Lou Peltier Crescent Sunday evening.

Three men were rushed to hospital after being shot Sunday night in Transcona in what sources say was likely a gang-related attack.

Winnipeg police responded to 39 Lou Peltier Cr. just after 9 p.m. for a report of a male who had been wounded by gunfire. Upon arrival, they discovered three victims.

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Paramedics working inside an ambulance at the scene of a triple shooting on Lou Peltier Crescent Sunday night. (TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

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Police respond to reports of a multiple-shooting on Lou Peletier Crescent in Transcona. (TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

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Blood on the floor inside the garage of 39 Lou Peltier Crescent after a triple shooting. (TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

Two of the men remained in critical condition this morning, Winnipeg Police said. The third shooting victim, who was admitted to hospital in critical condition, was upgraded to stable condition.

Members of the emergency response unit, K-9 unit and general patrol units rushed to the scene and sealed off a large area. The police helicopter was also deployed to the area.

A woman who lives on the crescent of new homes said she was outside speaking to neighbours when she saw and heard the shooting. She said a truck in a driveway was obscuring her view, but she saw the handgun being fired six times at the men in the garage.

"It was really strange. There was no arguing, no yelling. I just heard six bangs," she said.

"I don’t think they were fatally shot. I could see the three men moving around in the ambulance. I couldn’t tell where the shooter went," she said.

"We ran into our house. It’s all we could think of doing."

Another neighbour said she saw a man had been shot in the chest in the garage of the white stucco home.

The people who lived in the house didn’t make friends with others on the crescent but had many visitors, residents said.

"I’ve always seen people coming in and out of that house," said a neighbour. In the spring, a couple described as Asian and in their 20s moved into the home, she said.

The woman hasn’t been seen in a long time, she said.

"It didn’t seem like a family home to me," her husband said. "I always saw men coming and in and out of the house — different men every day," he said.

"I’ve told my wife that we should be keeping an eye on them because it’s strange — there’s always someone different there."

The area is a newer development of Transcona, with many homes still under construction.

The triple-shooting comes amid a wave of recent violence in Winnipeg connected to organized crime, specifically a gang war between members of the Hells Angels and Rock Machine.

Police and justice officials have attributed the spike in violence — which has included at least 14 drive-by shootings and firebombings since mid-June — to an increasingly hostile battle over lucrative drug profits to be had in Winnipeg. Police have stepped up enforcement, bolstered their resources and even started going door to door in many neighbourhoods warning residents of potential biker activity.

People who lived on the Transcona street told the Free Press Sunday night they had not received any notifications from police recently about organized crime.

Last week, several Winnipeg police officers threw themselves into the line of fire to potentially save a life and stop a suspected "hit" from going down in East Kildonan.

Details about last Tuesday's incident that left three officers injured were revealed during a court hearing on Friday. They include startling comments, allegedly made by an arrested Rock Machine member, about more violence to come as they feud with their rivals, the Hells Angels.

"A comment was made that the war is ongoing, that it's a badge of honour. And that he's willing to die for the cause," Crown attorney Brent Davidson told court. "This is the first we've seen any of the individuals confirm they are involved in this type of conflict."

Davidson told court police received credible "source" information last week about a Hells Angel who was going to be targeted at his residence on Antrim Road. Officers set up surveillance outside the home and on nearby streets, looking for any sign of trouble.

It was just after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday when a Dodge Avenger began slowly circling the block, Davidson told court. Two male prospect members of the Rock Machine were inside, along with a young woman who owned the vehicle and had just started dating one of them.

Police sprung into action when the Hells Angel who was apparently being targeted stepped out of his home, just as the Avenger was pulling up in front. Several police units rushed in, smashing into the Avenger and boxing the occupants in.

In the process, three officers were injured and had to be treated in hospital. Three cruiser cars were also severely damaged. Police arrested the three occupants and seized a loaded .45-calibre handgun from inside the vehicle. They also found pictures of Rock Machine members and the specific address of the Antrim Road residence written down, said Davidson.

Joseph Jordan Carl Choken, 19, Guy Wesley Vernon Stevenson, 21 and Amanda Kay Freeman, 23, face several charges, including possession of restricted firearms. They are being held in custody.