News briefs for Thursday, July 30, 2026

Province to spray for mosquitoes due to high risk of West Nile virus

5:13 PM

Parts of Winnipeg and several rural communities will be sprayed for mosquitoes after the heat wave across southern Manitoba has created a higher risk of exposure to West Nile virus.

Data from last week showed a high number of adult mosquitoes in the province and evidence of the West Nile virus. High heat shortens the time needed for the virus to develop in mosquitoes and become transmittable to humans.

Typically, the highest-risk period for human exposure in Manitoba is between July 15 and Aug. 15.

Spraying is set to begin Friday, weather permitting. DeltaGard 20EW will be sprayed within a three-kilometre radius of the following areas in Winnipeg:

• The intersection of Kenaston Boulevard and North Town Road.
• The intersection of King Edward Street and Old Commonwealth Path.
• The intersection of the north Perimeter Highway and Provincial Trunk Highway 8.

And the following rural areas:

• Carman, along with an approximate three-kilometre radius into the Rural Municipality of Dufferin.
• Stonewall, along with an approximate three-kilometre radius extension into the Rural Municipality of Rockwood.
• The Rural Municipality of West St. Paul.
• Winkler, along with an approximate three-kilometre-radius extension into the Rural Municipality of Stanley, including Reinfeld, Chortitz and Schanzenfeld.

Alleged hate crime at Muslim centre probed

1:42 PM

Winnipeg police confirm officers are investigating a report of damage to the Rahma Islamic Centre on Watt Street Wednesday night.

Damage is estimated at $3,000 after several windows were shattered shortly after 11:30 p.m.

Hours earlier, a vehicle drove by and its occupants allegedly shouted racially derogatory names at centre patrons.

Police said no suspects have been identified.

The centre will hold a news conference to discuss the incident.

Woman, 58, fatally stabbed on Portage Avenue

11:59 AM

City police have a suspect in custody after a daytime stabbing in downtown Winnipeg on Tuesday resulted in the death of a 58-year-old woman.

Officers responded to the 300 block of Portage Avenue after receiving a report about the incident around 2:45 p.m. Arriving officers found Helen Annie Spence suffering from severe and life-threatening injuries, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release Thursday.

Spence, a member of Grand Rapids First Nation who had been living in Winnipeg, was transported to the hospital in critical condition where she died of her injuries, the release said.

The suspect fled before officer arrived, but was later identified by investigators from the homicide unit, police said.

Shante Trinity Paul, 23, was arrested without incident early Wednesday morning. She is charged with second degree murder and remains in custody, the release said.

Man wanted in RCMP, border agent drug probe arrested in Winnipeg

10:30 AM

A man wanted in an RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency drug-trafficking probe was arrested by city police this week.

On Tuesday, Mounties asked Winnipeg Police Service officers to go to a city home where their suspect had recently taken up residence.

City police arrested the suspect at a home on the first block of Goodfellow Way, in a small neighbourhood just north of Club Regent Casino, shortly before 10 p.m. that same day. Police seized a few grams of cocaine from the suspect.

After executing a search warrant on the home, officers found a loaded semi-automatic rifle and a loaded semi-automatic shotgun, various ammunition, just over 400 grams of cocaine, just over three kilograms of drug cutting agent, drug trafficking paraphernalia and about $150,000 in cash.

Christopher James Athwal, 37, has been charged with several firearms offences, along with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of the proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000. He was held in custody.