Winnipeg tattoo parlour latest casualty of gang war

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This article was published 14/07/2011 (5523 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AN Osborne Village tattoo parlour was the target of a firebomb early Wednesday as part of an ongoing gang war, though the shop’s owner said he has no idea why.

Wayne Nuytten, owner of 187 Ink, told the Free Press the incident only caused about $450 damage to his business at 177 Osborne St.

Whatever was tossed into the tattoo shop Wednesday at about 4 a.m. created a hole in a thick window on the shop’s front door.

Nuytten said he isn’t sure why his business was the latest to be attacked in a string of shootings and fires related to an biker gang war — but he wasn’t too upset about the damage.

“In the end, with all the news and papers, I’m going to get free advertising to the point where I’m just going to gain more clientele off it,” he said.

“I’m going to make all that money back, plus some.”

Nuytten said he has owned 187 Ink for three years.

He said he is not a gang member. However, the tattoo parlour formerly had close ties to a prominent member of the Hells Angels, Anthony (A.J.) McLennan.

“People get the wrong idea; big tattoo, big truck, I’m just a businessman, that’s all,” said Nuytten.

“Whether they targeted me, if that is the case, they targeted the wrong person.”

The attack came less than 24 hours after a firebombing Tuesday afternoon at a Mighton Avenue home associated with the Redlined Support Crew, a gang aligned with the Hells Angels. Since mid-June, the city has had 13 fires and shootings related to Redlined’s turf war with the Rock Machine.

Before Nuytten acquired 187 Ink, the business was registered to a woman who is now McLennan’s wife, said a source.

According to documents filed on the company, the business changed hands in late 2008.

Nuytten said McLennan isn’t working at 187 Ink, and he met him through a mutual friend when he was looking to acquire a new business.

“He used to run the shop before I got it,” he said.

Police said they’d arrested two men — a 34-year-old and a 24-year-old — in connection with the firebombing at 187 Ink, but had not released their names Wednesday.

Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen said police were investigating if the two men were connected to any of the other incidents related to the gang war.

“What I can tell you is we do have information to suggest that that business does have association to gangs in our city,” said Michalyshen.

 

— With files from Bruce Owen

gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca