Police push back against biker fury
Officers to warn people about neighbours linked to gangs
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/07/2011 (5208 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Police will go door-to-door to inform residents they live near people linked to gangs.
The police service announced this new approach on Friday as officers investigate 13 crimes involving an ongoing turf war between the Rock Machine and the Hells Angels, who are aligned with the Redlined Support Crew.
That has included firebombings targeting homes and businesses. One shooting injured a 14-year-old boy at a Taft Crescent home.
“We have to be realistic, and we have to be honest and upfront that if residences are being targeted… there’s always that potential where other people could be injured,” said Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen, who added areas “throughout the city” are affected.
“This is not about central Winnipeg, this is not about the North End. This could be St. Vital, this could be Charleswood, this could be River Heights, (or) North Kildonan.”
However, police won’t give out the exact names of people with gang ties or their addresses.
“We’re going to be identifying with the residents that an individual who has gang affiliations, gang ties, resides in your community, resides in your neighbourhood, and we are informing you of that,” said Michalyshen.
“It’s about notifications and it’s about creating that heightened awareness. Members of the public can take that information and absorb it in any way they see fit and certainly bring forward any questions or any additional concerns that they might have.”
Police have already arrested two men after an attempted firebombing early Wednesday at Osborne Village tattoo parlour 187 Ink.
Police also charged one of the men with another firebombing days before at a St. Mary’s Road used-car dealership.
The organized-crime unit will determine which areas will be part of the public-notification campaign.
Michalyshen said it’s similar to police notifications about high-risk sex offenders.
“This isn’t about creating fear, about making people feel uneasy, because I think the events that have taken place have done that already,” said Michalyshen.
Police said there was nothing to suggest a vehicle fire at a Weston-area home overnight Friday is related to the gang hostilities.
A woman who owns the damaged van said she was scared her family may have been targeted after she spoke to media earlier this week about another police call.
Police said they were looking at whether an accelerant was used to start the fire in the Dodge Caravan. Arson strike force officers and the fire commissioner’s office were at the scene Friday.
gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca