Man in hospital after hostage situation on King Edward By: Morgan Modjeski Posted: 1:36 PM CDT Friday, May. 29, 2026 Last Modified: 6:41 PM CDT Friday, May. 29, 2026 Updates

A man is in hospital after an exchange of gunfire with officers during a hostage situation on King Edward Street Friday, police say.

Winnipeg Police Service spokesperson Const. Pat Saydak told reporters that members of the violent offender apprehension unit attempted to execute a warrant on a man in the King Edward neighbourhood at around 11 a.m.

The man ran away and broke into a nearby home on the 400 block of King Edward, he said.

“Shots were exchanged at this point,” said Saydak, noting police considered the three people inside the home hostages.

The suspect and hostages did not know each other, he said.

“Members of the tactical support team arrived and two of the hostages were successfully rescued, and in the process of rescuing the third hostage, it was noticed that the house was on fire,” he said.

Officers were able to remove the third hostage safely and, as the suspect fled through the rear of the house, he was met by police where another exchange of gunfire took place, Saydak said.

Police would not confirm whether the man had been shot.

The suspect was given first aid and taken to hospital by ambulance. His status is unknown, police said. There were no other injuries.

The fire was extinguished by Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service crews.

Police would not provide any information about the age of the hostages. Saydak called it a “highly volatile and fluid situation.”

“They ultimately saved the lives of three hostages,” the constable said.

It’s unclear how many officers were involved in the incident or fired their weapons.

A resident in the area, who asked for anonymity, said he was driving down King Edward at about 10:30 a.m. when he saw two police officers standing in front of a home. One of the officers had their gun drawn as a man was walking outside through the front door.

“Suddenly, the police officer unloaded his gun,” the witness said.

The man did not see whether any of the gunshots hit the individual.

Sherry Lukianchuk, who lives in the area along with her daughter and grandchildren, witnessed the incident.

“We saw a girl being rushed out, pulled to safety and we probably heard several gunshots,” she said.

“We could only see her from a distance, but it almost seemed like (police) were dragging her,” said Lukianchuk. “There was a group of (officers) running across the street from one side to the other, and it looked like they were pulling her and shoving her quickly.”

Lukianchuk said she saw several police officers with long guns on the street.

The situation has left her shaken, she added.

“It’s pretty scary because I have grandchildren that live on the street,” she said.

Elisha Dacey, who lives a block away, was in a nearby parking lot and said she heard what she thought was a dozen gunshots in two bursts.

“The only details they would give me is that it was an active scene and it was serious,” she said.

“After the shots were fired, police told everybody to get into their homes,” she said.

Samantha Anderson has lived on nearby Queen Street for three years. She was outside having a cigarette when a police officer appeared from a yard and told people to get inside.

“He knocked on that door, that door, then came across to me and he said: ‘I need you to go inside. Go into the basement and hide. There’s a situation.”

Anderson didn’t need to be told twice.

She sheltered in her basement for about 20 minutes and heard gunshots ring out and was still rattled Friday afternoon. Her children attend nearby George Waters Middle School on Ferry Road and St. James Collegiate on Portage Avenue; both schools were placed under “hold and secure” during the incident.

“I’ve lived in places worse than here and I’ve never been told to go hide (by police). So, I’m a little shaken up, a little scared,” she said.

She said when she heard the shots, worry washed over her.

“I was like: ‘What’s going on?’” she said. “I’ve got kids. You don’t know where they are, so you just hope they’re at school and not walking home.”

Anderson said she still feels safe in the neighbourhood.

As she worked in the garden, Jacqui Kendrick said the incident has pushed her closer to moving outside the city. Her adult son was home alone when the daytime gunfight occurred metres away.

“Just knowing it could happen any time is pretty terrifying,” she said, police tape still on her fence.“Just reminding my kids again this is why we keep the doors locked — no matter what — all the time.”

Anderson and Kendrick said they are thankful for the police response and glad neither officers nor the hostages were hurt.

Police said the investigation has since been turned over to the province’s police watchdog, the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba.

King Edward Street between St. Matthews and Silver avenues remains closed to traffic. Saydak said it was unclear when the area would reopen.

Police said there is no threat to public safety.

— with files from Nicole Buffie

morgan.modjeski@freepress.mb.ca