Teens charged after repeated bursts of random gunfire in West End

Two teenagers accused of repeatedly firing off a handgun indiscriminately in Winnipeg’s core earlier this week have been arrested.

In the first incident, a bullet ended up lodged in the kitchen wall of a home on Beverley Street, Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Stephen Spencer said at a news conference Friday. In three other instances, the teens fired rounds into the air, he said.

No one was hurt.

Investigators have not determined any motive in the apparently random gunfire, Spencer said. The home on Beverley did not appear to be specifically targeted.

“What goes up, must come down, so that round could come down anywhere within hundreds of yards and still cause damage,” Spencer said, referring to the inherent danger that comes with firing a gun in the air.

It was about 4 a.m. Tuesday when several 9mm rounds were fired toward a home from the rear lane of the 200 block of Beverley, between Portage and St. Matthews avenues.

The residents were sleeping upstairs at the time and did not realize their home had been shot at until they woke up and saw the bullet in the kitchen wall later that morning, Spencer said.

“It’s extremely concerning to the community, we definitely understand how community members, families, would respond to this when you wake up in the morning and find a round in your wall, that would be very concerning,” he said.

A short time later, just before 4:30 a.m., several more 9mm rounds were fired into the air in the lane behind the 500 block of nearby Agnes Street.

Then at about 8:45 a.m., more rounds were fired in the lane behind the 300 block of Toronto Street, and police rushed into the area, sending in tactical officers, police dogs, drones and the service’s helicopter.

While officers were searching for youth suspects, they came across another teenage boy, hiding behind a tree, who was carrying a water gun as part of an “assassin” game, popularized on social media, in which players try to shoot each other with water pistols in an effort to become the last standing.

Pointing to that incident, Spencer said the game creates public-safety risks. Officers spoke with the teen.

“Until we determine whether that gun is real or not, it is seen as a firearm and we treat it as such,” added another spokesman, Const. Claude Chancy.

The suspects in the shootings weren’t located on Tuesday, but major crimes detectives put together a list of potential perpetrators.

Just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, up to eight rounds were shot into the air in the rear lane of the 400 block of Toronto Street.

Patrol officers who were sent to the area found two youths in masks nearby and arrested them.

Police seized a 9mm handgun, a 15-round magazine, some crack cocaine and about $3,800 in cash during the arrests. The crack was packaged for sale.

Two 17-year-old boys have been charged with gun-related offences, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and wearing a disguise with intent.

One of the boys, already known to the justice system, has also been charged with several breaches of court orders.

Spencer said he did not know whether the teens are affiliated with any street gangs.

“We have two youths who are out at all hours of the night with a firearm, there’s a likelihood (of gang affiliation), but I can’t confirm that,” he said.

Both were held by police.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca