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Police shoot robbery suspect on St. Mary's Road

By: William Burr

Posted: 07/21/2011 6:21 AM | Last Modified: 07/21/2011 12:36 PM | Updates

KEN GIGLIOTTI/ WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Enlarge Image

Police at scene of shooting.

WINNIPEG -- A man armed with a knife who was suspected of robbing a city taxi in Old St. Vital was shot by police this morning following an altercation, police say.

The Winnipeg Police Service said the incident occurred around 2 a.m. near the corner of St. Mary's Road and Essex Avenue in the Glenwood neighbourhood.

Enlarge Image

A hard hat sits on the road by a taxi following shooting early Thursday. (KEN GIGLIOTTI/ WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

The suspect was rushed to hospital in critical condition but has since been upgraded to stable condition

No one else was injured during this incident.

The investigation is continuing by members of the WPS homicide unit, which handles the initial probe into police-involved shootings.

Yellow police tape surrounds a short stretch of Essex this morning. A silver Duffy's Taxi is parked inside the area, still running with its lights still on, and a black unmarked police SUV is also parked nearby.

A pile of clothing is also in the middle of the street.

Winnipeg Police Service spokeswoman Const. Natalie Aitken said the investigation was "very fresh."

Identification officers were still on scene Thursday morning, she said, and police were trying to confirm his identity.

"At this time, this individual has not been positively identified," she said.

Police have not released charges the man may face for the alleged taxi robbery.

His age has not been identified, but police believe he’s an adult.

Aitken did not confirm the man was carrying a machete-like weapon, but did say there was information the man had a knife.

"I can confirm that we responded to this area for a commercial robbery that involved a taxi-cab driver. There was information that this male suspect was in fact in possession of a knife," said Aitken.

"When officers did attend there...uniformed officers did locate the suspect, a confrontation did occur and a firearm discharge did happen."

The shot suspect was taken to hospital, and was upgraded to stable condition.

-- with files from Gabrielle Giroday