News briefs for Tuesday, January 3, 2023

Winnipeg police have charged a suspect with two counts of second-degree murder in a Christmas Day apartment fire that killed two people.

Police said Roger Glen Doblej, 63, and Suzanne Helen McCooeye, 70, died, and four other people were injured after a fire set inside a suite around 4 a.m. sent smoke throughout the building in the 300 block of Qu’Appelle Avenue.

Firefighters extinguished a smaller blaze in the same suite about four hours earlier.

Ethan Gage Shaydon Powderhorn, 26, is also charged with four counts of arson with disregard for human life for the Christmas Day fire, and one count of arson causing damage to property for a garbage bin blaze on Kennedy Street on Dec. 10, said police.

A man armed with a handgun made off with an expensive piece of jewelry from a shop in Polo Park mall Monday evening.

Winnipeg police were called to a store in the mall at about 7 p.m., where employees told officers a man had approached their counter at about 6:30 p.m. and asked to see a piece of jewelry.

When the employee pulled out the item, the suspect lifted his shirt and showed off the handle of a gun in his waistband, police said, before taking the jewelry and fleeing the mall. Winnipeg Police Service spokeswoman Const. Dani McKinnon said she could not reveal what type of jewelry was stolen, as that information could play into the investigation.

Major crimes investigators ask anyone with information on the incident to call the unit at 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477.

The Winnipeg Jets kick off the 2023 portion of their schedule tonight with a big question on the blue line.

Defenceman Josh Morrissey is a game-time decision as he deals with an upper-body injury. He didn’t participate in the morning skate, and also missed Monday’s practice.

Winnipeg hosts Calgary at 7 p.m. at Canada Life Centre.

Injured defenceman Nate Schmidt, and injured forwards Cole Perfetti and Nikolaj Ehlers will all be held out at least one more game. However, the hope is all three could return by Friday night, when Tampa Bay is in town.

The only lineup change up front will be Michael Eyssimont coming in for Jansen Harkins, who was placed on waivers Monday and will report to the Manitoba Moose if he clears.

Connor Hellebuyck starts in net for the Jets, who have won two straight games to improve to 23-13-1,.

A 25-year-old Dauphin man has been charged with aggravated assault after a six-year-old child was seriously injured.

Dauphin RCMP said Tuesday officers responded to the assault report on Dec. 31 and learned the assault had occurred days earlier but hadn’t been reported to police.

The accused was arrested Jan. 2.

Police haven’t released the man’s name to protect the identity of the child.

No other details were released.

Premier Heather Stefanson is losing another cabinet member.

Alan Lagimodiere announced on Twitter Tuesday he will not seek re-election this year.

He is currently the minister of Indigenous reconciliation and northern relations and represents the Selkirk constituency.

Most recently, deputy premier Cliff Cullen, an 18-year rural MLA, announced he won’t run again.