Police say they can’t find evidence knife-wielding man was at U of M

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Winnipeg police said Thursday its investigators “have not been able to substantiate” a report of a knife-wielding man at the University of Manitoba two days earlier, despite having examined multiple sources of evidence, including security footage.

The Winnipeg Police Service major crimes unit has been probing the reported incident on the U of M Fort Garry campus, which sparked widespread alarm and forced the cancellation of classes and events for the day. Tactical officers and the canine unit rushed to the site.

“We did explore multiple sources of evidence in regards to this matter and we have not be able to substantiate the information that was brought forward to us,” Const. Claude Chancy said Thursday.

He confirmed that police spoke with potential victims, but wouldn’t elaborate and said the probe is ongoing.

In a news release Thursday afternoon, police acknowledged the incident had elevated concerns, both at the U of M campus and the surrounding community, while saying their response Tuesday was timely, appropriate and carefully considered based on the initial report.

“The report was serious enough in nature that we used the appropriate protocols to alert the public and the student body,” Chancy said.

He said information gleaned from video security feeds did not substantiate the claims.

Around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, the WPS received reports from “multiple sources” about a suspect armed with a large kitchen knife inside the Allen building, where physics classes are held. An emergency alert was issued to cellphones, TVs and radios in the area. At about 10:30 a.m., police posted on social media that the situation had been “resolved” and there was “no longer any immediate threat to public safety.”

University of Manitoba Students’ Union president Divya Sharma said Tuesday she had been contacted by a student who was studying in one of the building’s tunnels when she was approached by the knife-wielding man, who “charged towards her.”

“Fortunately, she didn’t get stabbed, which I believe was the intent of the assault, but she does have a couple of bruises,” Sharma said. (The Free Press reached out to Sharma Thursday, but has yet to receive a reply.)

Later Tuesday, a WPS spokesman said police had no information that would lead them to believe someone had been assaulted, but that the probe was in the early stage. At that time, the spokesman declined to say whether officers believed the reports were unfounded.

A U of M spokesperson said this week the Allen building was locked down and secured, the first time the university has taken such action.

Students and staff at the campus were on edge after a sex assault on a woman who was sleeping in her dorm room Oct. 25. A suspect entered the Arthur V. Mauro Residence and attacked her around 4:45 a.m. The U of M said at the time it would increase security on campus.

Garry Junior Edwards, 46, a convicted sex offender, was charged one day later with sexual assault, robbery and other offences.

Two teenagers were charged after attacking and robbing a man at the Fort Garry campus on the night of Oct. 22. Two males approached an 18-year-old man who was sitting on a bench and doused him with bear spray before stealing his personal property and fleeing.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca

Scott Billeck
Reporter

Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade’s worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024.  Read more about Scott.

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