News briefs for Monday, June 3, 2024

Double homicide on Minegoziibe Anishinabe First Nation in western Manitoba

3:43 PM

A man is in custody after two people were slain on Minegoziibe Anishinabe late Sunday night.

Winnipegosis RCMP were sent to a report of shots fired on West Road on the First Nation, formerly known as Pine Creek, at about 11:30 p.m. Officers gave an injured 34-year-old man emergency medical care, but he died at the scene.

Five hours later, the body of a 52-year-old woman was found in the area where the male victim had been found.

A suspect was identified. A standoff with the 19-year-old man began at about 5:25 a.m. Shots were fired at RCMP officers from the home he was in, but none were injured.

A man tried to flee in an off-road vehicle but was arrested by officers, including a canine unit.

Charges have not yet been formally laid, RCMP said Monday afternoon.

Minegoziibe Anishinabe is a roughly 110-kilometre drive north of Dauphin.

Missing teen last seen Saturday night

3:27 PM

RCMP are asking for the public’s help in finding a missing teen.

Calista Houle, 15, was last seen at her home on Craig’s Cove in the Rural Municipality of Reynolds at about 11 p.m. Saturday. She was reported missing to Lac du Bonnet RCMP on Monday morning.

Houle is described as 5-5 in height, 110 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. No clothing description was provided.

It is possible the teen might be in Sandy Bay First Nation, RCMP said Monday afternoon.

Mounties are asking anyone with information on Calista’s whereabouts to contact Lac du Bonnet RCMP at 204-687-1422, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or manitobacrimestoppers.com.

City police investigating man’s slaying in Spence area

2:55 PM

City police are investigating the slaying of a Winnipeg man found critically injured in the Spence neighbourhood early Sunday.

Officers were sent to the 500 block of Furby Street at about 2:30 a.m. and found Abubakarr Koroma, 46. Officers gave him emergency medical care until paramedics arrived and transported him to hospital in unstable condition. He later died, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release Monday.

“His death is considered a homicide, and investigators are continuing to gather information regarding this incident. It is believed an altercation took place between the deceased and another individual, resulting in his fatal injuries,” the WPS said.

A neighbour told the Free Press police and forensic investigators were at an apartment building in the area throughout the day Sunday.

The building, located at 583 Furby St., has been the source of numerous violent crimes in recent years, including the shooting death of Cory Roger Roulette, 38, in August.

Man charged after armed Sandy Bay standoff

2:48 PM

A man is facing charges after an armed standoff in Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation.

Manitoba First Nations Police Service officers were sent to a home shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday regarding a man threatening to use a gun.

The male refused to leave the home, police said Monday. Officers directed people inside to safety and were told the man had fired the gun earlier that day and had threatened to have a shootout with police.

The RCMP emergency response team and the MFNPS canine unit entered the home shortly after 2:30 a.m. Sunday and found a man with a loaded gun.

A 25-year-old Sandy Bay resident is facing several charges, including possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition and failing to comply with a release order.

Dog rescued from Duffield Street fire

2:01 PM

Firefighters rescued a dog from a house fire in the Deer Lodge area on Monday morning.

Crews were sent to a one-and-a-half storey, single-family house on the 300 block of Duffield Street at 8:12 a.m. and fought the fire from inside, declaring the fire under control at 8:45 a.m.

No one was inside except for a dog, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said in a news release.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Five suspects sought after captive woman beaten for days

1:47 PM

Police are searching for five suspects after a woman was held against her will and repeatedly assaulted for several days.

Norway House RCMP were notified at about 6:55 a.m. Saturday regarding a severely injured 34-year-old woman who had been found outside in Kinosao Sipi Cree Nation.

Officers went to the hospital and learned she had been held against her will. The victim was transported to a Winnipeg hospital with life-altering injuries and remained in hospital Monday afternoon.

Officers went to the home where the incident was suspected to have taken place later Saturday morning and seized a gun and drug paraphernalia. Mounties found two suspects at another home in the community and arrested them.

Russel York, 31, and Stephanie Anderson-Paupanekis, 32, are charged with aggravated assault, forcible confinement, unsafe storage of firearms and unauthorized possession of firearms. They both remain in custody.

Police continue to look for five other suspects.

“The victim and suspects are known to each other, and police believe this was a targeted attack,” RCMP said in a media release.

Norway House RCMP are asking anyone with information that might help the investigation to call them at 204-359-4955, or to Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Livestream Winnipeg Transit pilot project expanded, made permanent

1:25 PM

A pilot project to live stream Winnipeg Transit bus camera feeds has been expanded and made permanent.

The project was launched on 50 buses in 2021 in hopes of increasing safety for drivers and passengers. The City of Winnipeg said Monday the project has been permanently expanded to include the entire fleet of 607 buses.

“Extending live video feeds to all Transit buses is a smart step forward to help ensure the safety of passengers and drivers,” Mayor Scott Gillingham said in a news release.

Winnipeg Transit began installing modems on buses in 2019. The livestream initiative did not require the installation of any additional equipment.

Transit supervisors can view live video from any bus and request any support needed.

“The great advantage of this technology will be they can see what is happening and can decide whether police, paramedics or a transit inspector is needed,” Randy Tonnellier, Winnipeg Transit’s manager of operations, said in June 2021.

Collision closes section of King Edward Street

11:25 AM

A main thoroughfare in the St. James industiral area is closed to traffic as emergency services respond to a collision.

The accident occurred sometime Monday morning near the intersection of King Edward Street and Wellington Avenue. Traffic is closed in all directions on Wellington Avenue from Berry Street to Bradford Street, the City of Winnipeg said in a traffic update on X.

Winnipeg Police Service members are stopping southbound traffic on King Edward Street and redirecting motorists to head eastbound or westbound on Saskatchewan Avenue, the city said.

The city is asking people to avoid the area, saying motorists can “expect significant delays.”

It is unclear whether anybody was injured in the collision. The Free Press has requested additional information from WPS.

Suspect sought after woman sexually assaulted in Richmond West park

11:19 AM

Police are searching for a suspect after a woman was sexually assaulted in a city park in the Richmond West neighbourhood.

Police were called about the attack in Kirkbridge Park at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday. The Winnipeg Police Service said Monday that the woman, who is in her 20s, was walking home from a bus stop on Pembina Highway. She was pushed to the ground by an unknown male and sexually assaulted as she walked through the park.

The suspect eventually fled on a bicycle, and the woman ran to safety. Police were contacted, and the victim received medical attention.

An initial suspect description provided by police said the man had light skin and is about 5-8 in height, with an average build. The male, who spoke English, was wearing all black. The black items included a baseball cap, pants and a “Covid type of mask,” police said. No description of the bike was provided.

Police are asking anyone with information related to the attack or video from the area to call the WPS sex crimes unit at 204-986-6245, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477 (TIPS) or winnipegcrimestoppers.org.

Two men hurt in crash in St. James Industrial area

11:15 AM

Two men were taken to hospital in stable condition after a collision involving multiple vehicles in the St. James Industrial area Monday morning.

The crash occurred near the intersection of King Edward Street and Wellington Avenue shortly after 9 a.m., Winnipeg Police Service Const. Claude Chancy said.

Traffic on King Edward was rerouted, and Wellington was closed in all directions from Berry to Bradford streets.

The roads had reopened by 11 a.m.

Man arrested in random assaults in Norwood West

11:07 AM

A man is facing charges after multiple people were randomly assaulted in the Norwood West area Friday.

Police were sent to the first 100 block of Claremont Avenue at about 4:45 p.m. after receiving several reports of a man acting erratically and assaulting residents.

Officers learned a man had kicked the glass door to a home and tried to assault a 71-year-old male resident before fleeing.

The suspect ran to a nearby home, towards a 34-year-old woman who was outside the home with her young child. Police said the suspect ran towards the pair “in a threatening manner.” Both were unharmed.

Police said they found a suspect near the intersection of Lawndale Avenue and Coniston Street, where officers saw him using a water bottle to assault a 36-year-old woman through the open window of her parked vehicle. She was not injured.

Officers arrested a man after a short foot chase. The Winnipeg Police Service said officers found “a prohibited knife” on the man.

The suspect did not know any of the victims, police said, adding his “intoxication is believed to be a factor in the incidents.”

An 18-year-old Winnipeg man is facing three charges of assault and single charges of assault with a weapon, unauthorized possession of a restricted weapon and mischief under $5,000. He was released on an undertaking.

Fisher River Cree Nation man found slain

9:49 AM

RCMP are investigating after a Fisher River Cree Nation man was found slain this weekend.

Fisher Branch were contacted about a missing man from the First Nation on Saturday. Police, including a canine unit, went to the Interlake to help search for the man on Sunday morning.

The body of a 51-year-old Fisher River man was found in the Rural Municipality of Fisher that afternoon. His death is being treated as a homicide, police said.

“The victim appears to have been targeted, and there is no indication of any ongoing threat to public safety,” RCMP said in a news release Monday morning.

Single-vehicle collision reported on Roblin Boulevard

9:10 AM

City police are on scene at a single-vehicle collision that occurred on Roblin Boulevard Monday morning.

The accident took place sometime around 5 a.m., just west of Moray Street, when a truck collided with a hydro pole, Winnipeg Police Service spokeswoman Dani McKinnon said by phone.

Two police cruisers were securing the roadway around 9 a.m., while staff from Manitoba Hydro work to repair the damaged pole, McKinnon said.

WPS did not say whether any injuries were reported as a result of the crash.