Afternoon machete attack leaves man bloody, Grant Park-area residents, workers speechless

What had, at first glance, looked like a man repeatedly hitting a fence with a stick on a Grant Park-area street corner was really a terrifying machete attack Tuesday afternoon.

The gruesome scene unfolded in full view of nearby homes and businesses at the intersection of Lorette Avenue and Nathaniel Street, a couple of blocks from Grant Park Shopping Centre.

“The first thing I noticed was this guy, and I thought it was a stick, and he was whacking it against the fence,” said a witness who works nearby and asked not to be identified.

Moments later, the witness realized the man was waving a machete — not a stick — in the air as he, another man and a woman walked east along Lorette Avenue. The witness quickly looked back toward the corner where the group had been and saw a bloodied man get up from behind a snowbank on the boulevard and run to a duplex at 1221 Lorette Ave., banging on the door in an attempt to get help.

The neighbour, who area residents said had just recently moved in, let the man in.

“That was really scary,” the witness said. “Especially in this neighbourhood, and in broad daylight.”

The Winnipeg Police Service confirmed its major crimes unit was investigating the shocking incident.

“It wasn’t a random attack,” Const. Stephen Spencer told the Free Press Wednesday. “There is no ongoing threat to the public.”

Spencer said three people were arrested following the attack.

Officers were called to the area at about 12:50 p.m.

The victim’s blood remained on the front steps and near the front door of the duplex Wednesday.

Blood was visible on the sidewalk, in the snow and along the home’s fence. Some yellow police tape was sticking out of the snowbank.

“I’d say about 15 minutes after he entered the house, he was escorted out and was completely bandaged up on his head and all up his arm,” the witness said, adding customers who arrived after the assault said they smelled what was believed to be pepper or bear spray.

““It was pretty traumatizing for us as a business, for the community. In the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday,” the witness said.

“It wasn’t a random attack. There is no ongoing threat to the public.”

“So crazy.”

A nearby homeowner, who didn’t see the attack but saw the aftermath — several police vehicles and the scene taped off — said the neighbourhood is normally quiet.

Another resident, who said he has lived in the area for 60 years, couldn’t believe what had taken place.

“What’s going on these days?” he said.

Additional police vehicles were spotted at nearby Rockwood elementary school.

According to a letter sent to parents, Rockwood school staff brought all students inside and the school was placed in a hold and secure for 15 minutes. The hold and secure was lifted when WPS advised the school it was safe to do so.

Police said the victim was transported to hospital but had no update on his condition Wednesday.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca