Reports of Bomber being stabbed overblown: police

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This article was published 22/07/2019 (2286 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Police say media reports of a Winnipeg Blue Bombers player being stabbed at a downtown nightclub over the weekend have been overblown.

Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Rob Carver said officers were called to a “disturbance” in the 100 block of Smith Street at 2:10 a.m. Sunday. “The disturbance was over when we arrived,” said Carver, who wouldn’t identify the venue — the Mexican eatery and nightclub La Roca — or the victim, who was reportedly Chris Matthews.

“A customer suffered a minor injury,” Carver said Monday. “He was treated and released (from hospital). There was no report of an assault, so I can’t tell you how he sustained the injury.”

La Roca sent an emailed statement Monday night saying there was an altercation between a Blue Bombers player and other patrons. Everyone involved was asked to leave, and police were called.

“Our security protocols following a physical altercation include requesting the attendance of the WPS,” La Roca’s management said.

The player left through the front doors and spoke with officers. Police later reviewed security camera footage of the incident, the eatery said.

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Free Press sports reporter Taylor Allen was at Bombers practice Monday and confirmed Matthews was a full participant and appeared to be fine.

After practice, Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea was asked to comment on the situation.

“No, we’ll leave that for the Winnipeg Police Services,” O’Shea said.

O’Shea said Matthews was not hurt in the weekend incident.

— with files from Carol Sanders, staff

Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.