Police video confirms manslaughter suspect visited HQ

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This article was published 24/06/2021 (1731 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg police headquarters video shows the woman accused of stabbing a 12-year-old boy to death in alleged self-defence June 18 visited the Graham Avenue hub two days later of her own volition.

Police wouldn’t say Thursday if she was trying to turn herself in.

Shania Pirrie, 19, was charged Monday with manslaughter in the death of Sanchez Everette Boulanger, following what witnesses described as an early evening chaotic melee between two groups on Burrows Avenue near Main Street that left the road spattered with blood.

On Tuesday, Pirrie was released by a justice of the peace with the consent of a Crown attorney, with the conditions she remain at a Winnipeg family member’s home, possess no weapons, and have no contact with four named witnesses. Her next court date is Sept. 21.

Winnipeg Police Service sources said it appears Pirrie visited the headquarters Sunday in what was believed to be an attempt to turn herself in. The sources said the video confirmed she spoke with a duty service officer at main reception.

“We’re not disputing that she was there — there is station duty video — but we have no idea what communication transpired, so I can’t comment on that at all,” WPS spokeswoman Const. Dani McKinnon said in a brief phone interview Thursday.

“We simply don’t comment on anything like that.”

She added she wasn’t able to say what time Pirrie entered the HQ, or what day it was.

McKinnon would not comment on whether an internal review into the matter was launched.

“We never comment on any internal reviews that are happening. That’s not going to change,” she said.

WPS Chief Danny Smyth will also not yet speak about the circumstances of Pirrie’s arrest.

“The chief will reserve comment at this time. The matter still has to be looked at in more depth,” WPS public affairs manager Kelly Dehn said.

Meantime, McKinnon disputed rumours about the homicide unit’s involvement in the weekend incident.

“I know there’s some comments floating around (that) homicide was not called out or they weren’t notified, or they refused to come out — whatever the case may be — I can tell you that that is absolutely untrue,” she said.

Police union president Moe Sabourin did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

The killing startled witnesses.

Area resident Spencer Bucci told the Free Press he heard through his open window people on the street shouting Friday around 7 p.m.

When he looked out, he saw two groups of people; one was three or four boys and a girl. “The oldest one might have been 15; the youngest maybe 10.”

The other group was a young woman and young man pushing a stroller with two children, Bucci said.

“The woman was yelling, ‘Get away from us!’ and ‘Don’t come close to us!’ and it looked like she had a knife in her hand.”

Bucci said he heard people yelling from down the street. He turned to watch them. When he looked back, he said, the boy had already been stabbed.

— with files from Cody Sellar

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @erik_pindera