News briefs for Tuesday, March 7, 2023

Two shot, one fatally, in West End

10:15 AM

A woman is dead and another victim is in hospital after a shooting in the West End on Tuesday morning.

Winnipeg police said two adults were found with gunshot wounds in the 400 block of Beverley Street at about 6 a.m.

The woman was dead and the other was rushed to hospital in unstable condition.

Police officers are in the area and have made sure it is safe, but no arrests have been made.

Anyone with information is asked to call the homicide unit at 204-986-6805 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).

Four injured in Spence Street shooting

10:24 AM

Four men were rushed to hospital after being injured in a shooting on Spence Street early Tuesday.

Winnipeg police said two men in their thirties and a pair in their twenties were taken to hospital in unstable condition from a residence in the 600 block of Spence Street at about 2:15 a.m. Three have since been upgraded to stable condition while the fourth is in guarded condition.

Police said three of the victims were found in one suite while a fourth injured man was located nearby. Officers had to perform emergency medical care including the use of chest seals.

No arrests have been made.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the major crimes unit at 204-986-6219 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).

Lake St. Martin man charged in slaying

11:27 AM

A Lake St. Martin First Nation man has been charged in a slaying last week in the Interlake community.

Gypsumville RCMP found an injured 34-year-old man in his home in Lake St. Martin First Nation at about 6:20 p.m. on March 2. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Saturday, RCMP arrested Gilbert Woodhouse, 28, of the First Nation. He was charged with second-degree murder.

He’s still in custody and Mounties don’t believe there are any further suspects.

Garden City Collegiate lockdown lifted: police

2:12 PM

A lockdown at Garden City Collegiate has been lifted, Winnipeg police say.

Just before 2 p.m., police asked the public to avoid the area to allow officers to “enter and exit” without issues.

Police did not say what caused the lockdown, but said the service and the school will provide updated information later.

Police said in an email just after 2 p.m. that parents can now pick up their children from the high school.

Missing teen from Taché likely in Winnipeg: RCMP

2:18 PM

Steinbach RCMP are searching for a missing 15-year-old girl from the Rural Municipality of Taché.

Tessa Bird was last seen on Feb. 18 at 1:30 p.m. near Kildonan Place shopping mall in Winnipeg, RCMP say. Her family was in contact with her over social media, but haven’t heard from her since Sunday.

She’s 5-1, 120 lbs with black hair and brown eyes. She was last wearing glasses, a grey hoodie, white t-shirt, beige pants and white Nike running shoes. Mounties believe she’s in the Winnipeg area.

RCMP ask anyone with information on her whereabouts to call the Steinbach detachment at 204-326-4452 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

Manitoba pre-election budget offers tax cuts, higher spending

2:59 PM

Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative government is promising almost $2 billion in new spending and major income tax cuts in a pre-election budget.

The fiscal plan boosts spending on health care, social services and other areas by an average of close to 10 per cent.

The budget also contains what the government calls the largest income tax cut in the province’s history, but much of it is scheduled to occur after the election slated for Oct. 3.

This year, the threshold at which individuals start to pay income tax will rise to $15,000 from about $10,000.

Next year, personal income tax brackets are to be moved higher, with the top bracket moving to $100,000 from almost $80,000

The threshold at which employers are charged a tax on their payroll is also to increase next year.

In health care, the province is expanding coverage of insulin pumps to all adults with diabetes.

-The Canadian Press

RCMP lay charges in O-Pipon Na-Piwin Cree Nation woman’s homicide

5:31 PM

RCMP have charged a 50-year-old man from O-Pipon Na-Piwin Cree Nation with manslaughter after a woman was assaulted and died of her injuries.

Noreen Tait, 47, was assaulted at a home in the community before being airlifted roughly 800 kilometres to Winnipeg. She died in the hospital Feb. 21.

Phillip Soulier is facing a manslaughter charge stemming from the death, RCMP said in a release Tuesday.

Tait’s relatives and local officials issued a public plea for support following her death, saying a lack of social services has led to escalated violence within the First Nation, which is also known as South Indian Lake.