A dispute over a sheet of paper led to an emergency response unit being summoned to Manitoba's maximum-security jail for young offenders -- the first time in its history.
Manitoba Justice confirmed that a Corrections Emergency Response Unit (CERU) was called into action at the Lakewood facility at the Aggasiz Youth Centre in Portage la Prairie around 6:30 p.m. Saturday after an inmate allegedly threatened on-duty staff with a chair.
Gordon Davey, the acting superintendent of the facility, said a male inmate asked for a "sheet of lined paper" but didn't receive it. Davey said the youth then allegedly picked up a chair and threatened four guards.
Although the youth was alone with the officers, the presence of some cleaning supplies in the room was of concern to them. Davey was contacted and the emergency response unit was dispatched from Headingley.
Davey said the male later complied with demands to put down the chair and return to his room, but while on his way, he broke a broomstick in half and dropped the pieces.
At that point the eight emergency response officers were asked to search all the rooms in the facility.
"We weren't sure what this young fella had on him," Davey said.
No weapons were found, Davey said.
The inmate is described by a source as a high-level auto thief.
At the time of the incident, 15 other young offenders were being housed in the maximum-security handling unit, meant for inmates who demonstrate "behaviour problems" while in custody at Agassiz or the Manitoba Youth Centre in Winnipeg.
james.turner@freepress.mb.ca
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