News briefs for Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Comrie records shutout as Jets win seventh straight

9:48 PM

On this night, Eric Comrie got some run support and kept a clean sheet.

The Winnipeg Jets backup made 29 saves to record his first shutout of the season and third of his career in a 3-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday at Canada Life Centre.

The Jets scored twice on the power play and utilized two successful coach’s challenges in the contest – one that took a goal off the board and another that overturned a disallowed goal and extended their lead.

The Jets got goals from Nino Niederreiter, Neal Pionk and Rasmus Kupari.

By recording seven consecutive wins, the Jets now sit at 38-14-3 for the season and they’ll face the New York Islanders on Friday in their final game before the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Jasper added to Duguid’s portfolio

4:25 PM

The prime minister has added to the portfolio of Terry Duguid, the Winnipeg Liberal MP and cabinet minister.

Duguid will serve as ministerial lead for Jasper to co-ordinate support for the Alberta community after devastating wildfires this summer, Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday.

Duguid was already the minister of sport and the minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada.

Woman charged in apartment stabbing

2:33 PM

A woman is facing charges after another woman was stabbed in an apartment on Sunday.

Police were sent to the complex on the 1500 block of Notre Dame Avenue at about 7:30 a.m.

Officers gave a 33-year-old woman emergency medical care before she was transported to the hospital in critical condition. She was later upgraded to stable.

An investigation determined the women were involved in an argument when one, 22, pulled out a knife, assaulted the other and fled.

A woman was arrested shortly after 9:45 a.m. She faces charges of assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon and was released from custody.

Talbot Avenue business robbed at gunpoint

2:25 PM

A man has been charged after a Talbot Avenue business was robbed at gunpoint late Sunday night.

The incident happened on the 400 block at about 10:15 p.m.

Officers were told a man pulled out a concealed gun and pointed it at a 26-year-old male employee after being asked to leave. The employee fled to the back of the store, and the man with a gun jumped over the counter, stole a cash drawer from the till and fled on foot, police said.

Officers searched the area and arrested a man at about 10:40 p.m. A gun, the drawer and clothing matching the suspect’s clothing description were seized, the Winnipeg Police Service said Tuesday.

A 31-year old man has been charged with eight offences and was detained in custody.

Drunk driver allegedly approached officers, then fled

2:13 PM

A driver reportedly approached police with what appeared to be an open alcoholic drink before driving over an officer’s foot while fleeing.

The Winnipeg Police Service said officers were at the scene of a motor vehicle collision in the area of Ellice Avenue and Colony Street shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday when a driver unrelated to the crash stopped a vehicle behind their marked cruiser car.

“He engaged the officers in conversation while displaying signs of impairment” before returning to his vehicle, the WPS said in a news release Tuesday.

Officers told the man to remain there, but he drove over an officer’s foot while reversing and fled, the release said.

A passerby saw a man outside a vehicle in the area of Pembina Highway and Bairdmore Boulevard shortly before 8:30 p.m. and contacted police because they suspected he had been driving while intoxicated.

Police arrested a 21-year-old Winnipeg man. He has been charged with assaulting a peace officer with a weapon and two impaired-driving offences. He was detained in custody.

“It was very odd,” Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Stephen Spencer said. “It shows just how a person’s decision-making is skewed when they’ve had too much alcohol.”

Spencer added the officer who was hit by the vehicle did not require medical attention.

Man using wheelchair hit by vehicle

2:00 PM

A driver is facing charges after a man who uses a wheelchair was hit by a vehicle while crossing an intersection Sunday night.

The driver made no attempt to stop and fled the scene, police said Tuesday.

Officers were driving south on Isabel Street near Bannatyne Avenue when they saw the man crossing the intersection at about 9 p.m.

A southbound SUV that was in front of the police vehicle hit the 50-year-old man, who was ejected from the wheelchair and suffered significant injuries. He was transported to hospital in unstable condition and was later upgraded to stable.

Officers stopped an SUV a short distance away and arrested a 59-year-old man while other officers helped the victim.

The man is facing charges related to impaired driving and was released from custody.

Man caught with sawed-off gun: police

1:47 PM

Police arrested a man with an illegal gun and fentanyl on Monday.

Officers recognized a man who was wanted on an arrest warrant for a December robbery when they saw him in the area of Ellen Street and Ross Avenue at about 11:30 a.m.

He was found to have a sawed-off rifle, ammunition and about 13.6 grams of fentanyl on him, the Winnipeg Police Service said in an interview Monday.

Officers learned the man, 30, was wanted on another warrant for failing to comply with probation.

He has been charged with 10 offences.

IIU seeks witnesses to Mosakahiken arrest 

1:30 PM

The province’s police watchdog is asking witnesses to an incident where an RCMP officer apparently stood on a man’s chest during an arrest to contact the organization.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba also asked anyone with other relevant video to call 1-844-667-6060. The IIU said Tuesday that RCMP contacted the organization Monday after police received a complaint from a concerned citizen regarding a video posted online. The video shows part of an arrest in Mosakahiken Cree Nation, in the Moose Lake area, early Friday.

The video “shows two officers attempting to gain control of the man using force,” the IIU said.

The IIU said RCMP told the watchdog that before the portion of the arrest in the video shared online, the man barricaded himself inside a home, refused to comply with police, actively resisted arrest and tried to assault officers. Police said in a news release Monday that officers used a Taser on the man, tried to do so a second time and had to call in a third officer for help.

No injuries were reported by the suspect or the officers, RCMP said Monday.

A 22-year-old man from The Pas has been charged with nine offences.

Three hurt in Charleswood fire

12:11 PM

Three people were taken to hospital in stable condition after a fire in a Manitoba Housing building in Charleswood.

Firefighters were sent to the eight-storey building at 170 Hendon Ave. at  about 6:50 a.m. Tuesday and declared the fire under control an hour later.

The city’s emergency social services team was sent to the block to help residents who were temporarily evacuated. A Winnipeg Transit bus was provided as temporary shelter, but most residents were able to shelter in their suites while fire crews worked, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said in a news release.

Bombers promote Hogan to OC

11:55 AM

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have finally filled the shoes of the recently departed Buck Pierce, promoting Jason Hogan to the role of offensive co-ordinator on Tuesday.

Hogan earns the promotion after three seasons as the club’s running backs coach. Hogan has been at the helm of a run game that had led the CFL the last two seasons, with Bombers running back and Winnipeg native Brady Oliveira the league’s leader in total rushing yards in both the 2023 and 2024 campaigns. Oliveira was also named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2024.

The Bombers also announced they’ve hired Jarious Jackson as quarterbacks coach.

Jackson spent the last three seasons as OC with the Edmonton Elks, while also being elevated to interim head coach last season after Chris Jones was fired in July. Jackson was being considered for the OC job in Winnipeg, but head coach Mike O’Shea opted to promote from within, much like he has with defensive co-ordinator Jordan Younger and special-teams co-ordinator Mike Miller.

Man arrested in unprovoked hammer attack on city bus

11:27 AM

Police say a bus passenger struck another man with a hammer in an unprovoked attack late Monday morning.

Officers with the Winnipeg Police Service were sent to the area of the Disraeli Freeway and Sutherland Avenue at about 10:15 a.m. after two passengers were attacked.

The passenger hit with a hammer, who did not know the attacker, was a man in his 20s. The attacker then moved to the front of the bus, where he began yelling and tackled another passenger in his 40s, the WPS said in a news release Tuesday.

Police said other passengers — fearing for their safety — intervened, and one used bear spray to try to stop the assault.

The attacker ran off the bus, and police arrested a man on the Disraeli Bridge.

The passengers also got off the bus because bear spray had been used. Nobody was hurt, but the bus had to be decontaminated, the WPS said.

Police seized the bear spray but did not charge the person who used it.

Steven Michael Gagnon, 30, of Winnipeg has been charged with assault with a weapon, assault, uttering threats and possession of a weapon. He was detained in custody.