News briefs for Wednesday, September 2, 2026

High-risk sex offender released, expected to live in Winnipeg

4:40 PM

Police issued a public notification Wednesday about the release of a convicted high-risk violent sex offender who is expected to live in Winnipeg.

Justin David Levasseur, 36, is considered a high risk to reoffend in a sexual manner, with females at risk of sexual violence, police said.

Levasseur, also known as Jay Levasseur, Norman Levasseur, “J” and “J STAR,” was released on statutory release from federal custody Wednesday.

He was previously sentenced in November 2021 to six years, including credit for 252 days spent in pre-trial custody, for the sexual assaults and forcible confinement of a woman he met through Facebook, police said.

Levasseur is subject to a lifetime weapons prohibition order and conditions imposed by the Parole Board of Canada, including orders not to consume alcohol and drugs, and not to own more than one mobile communication device or SIM card.

He is also subject to a pornography restriction. Levasseur has past convictions for sexual assault and break-and-enter.

Police warned against vigilantism, asking anyone with information about his compliance or public safety to call the Manitoba Integrated High Risk Sex Offender Unit at 431-489-8056, their local police service or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477 or toll-free at 1-800-222-8477.

Overnight closure starts Thursday on section of St. Mary’s Road

4:19 PM

Part of a busy route will soon close overnight to allow for paving.

The city is warning drivers that St. Mary’s Road will be closed between Paul Boulevard and Chrypko Drive from 6 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday.

Motorists are urged to use different routes and expect delays.

Girl, 9, killed in UTV rollover

3:43 PM

A nine-year-old girl died and her 40-year-old father was injured in a rollover involving a utility terrain vehicle in western Manitoba on Monday.

RCMP officers were called to the scene outside a home in the Rural Municipality of Dauphin at about 5:15 p.m.

Police said the father was driving the side-by-side vehicle when it made a turn and rolled. The girl, who was a passenger, died at the scene.

Her father was taken to a Winnipeg hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, RCMP said.

Assault suspect sought

1:35 PM

Police are searching for a Winnipeg man accused of assault at a Portage la Prairie home.

RCMP were called to a home in the community on Friday at about 1 a.m. Officers learned a man assaulted someone in the home and threatened to shoot another resident before fleeing.

A police search for the man was unsuccessful but a modified air rifle was found behind a business on Saskatchewan Avenue West.

A warrant for the arrest of Shayne Peters, 41, has been issued. He faces 10 charges.

Peters is five-foot-eight with a thin build with brown hair and brown eyes. He is known to frequent Winnipeg, Portage and Long Plains First Nation.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Peters is asked to contact Portage la Prairie RCMP at 204-857-4445, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Four face gun, drug charges after bust

12:59 PM

Four people were charged after guns, drugs and stolen property were seized from a Bronx neighbourhood home on Monday.

Winnipeg Police Service officers executed a warrant at a house on the 100 block of Harbison Avenue West just after 11 a.m., a Wednesday news release stated. Officers seized 26 ounces of methamphetamine (with a street value of about $9,000), a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, an SKS semi-automatic rifle, a Norco bicycle and drug paraphernalia.

Two men, aged 33 and 40, face multiple charges and were released on undertakings prior to a court date.

A 42-year-old woman was charged with an outstanding warrant for failing to attend court. A 37-year-old woman was charged with public mischief and three outstanding warrants. Both women remain in custody.

Five others who were arrested inside the residence were released without charges.

Free child care coming to eligible families Sept. 13

12:26 PM

Child-care fees for eligible families will be wiped come Sept. 13, the province announced Wednesday.

The announcement was an update to the province’s 2026 budget commitment to eliminate the $2-per-day fee for low-income families receiving subsidized child care.

The program will eliminate fees for an estimated 4,100 children from 3,000 families, education and early childhood learning minister Tracy Schmidt said.

The program is for children aged 12 weeks to 12 years. Eligibility is based on income, number and age of children, number of days required for care and reason for care.

Hepatitis A exposure identified at Sherbrook St. vendor

12:04 PM

The province says anyone who was at the bar and vendor formerly known as the Sherbrook Inn in West Broadway between July 30 and Aug. 20 may have been exposed to hepatitis A.

The bar, now called the East Gate Inn Beer Vendor and Bar and also known as the Kyoto Kat Club, is located at 685 Westminster Ave.

People who were at this location during the specified dates are asked to monitor for symptoms. Symptoms may appear between two and seven weeks after exposure.

As of Aug. 28 the province has recorded 990 cases of hepatitis A reported since September 2024, including 244 hospitalizations, eight intensive care unit admissions and seven deaths.

On the province’s website, it states the overall risk of exposure to hepatitis A for the general public is low.

Body of missing teen girl found in northern Manitoba

11:44 AM

Mounties have deemed the death of a teen girl as suspicious after her body was found in a wooded area in northern Manitoba late last month.

On Aug. 23 Cross Lake RCMP were notified after a body was discovered in Pimicikamak Cree Nation, located about 760 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

An autopsy determined the body to be that of a 17-year-old girl from the community who was reported missing a day earlier. Mounties say she was last seen by family on August 17.

The investigation is ongoing.

RCMP seek two suspects in Chemawawin Cree Nation robbery

10:44 AM

RCMP are searching for two suspects after a business was broken into, shot at and robbed in Chemawawin Cree Nation last week.

Officers were called the the business on Arena Road in the community at 11:52 p.m. Friday.

An employee told officers a man wearing a red face covering and goggles entered the VLT area, shot a firearm twice into a wall, took money from the cash drawer and left. Another man placed a chain and padlock around the business’s door handles before leaving.

Patrons fled the business and no one was injured. The suspects were seen fleeing on foot toward the community’s school.

Police are looking for any information in relation to this incident. Contact RCMP at 204-329-2004, call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or submit a tip online.

Pedestrian, 39, dies after being hit by ATV

10:21 AM

A 39-year-old woman was killed and a 34-year-old man was injured when they were hit by an all-terrain vehicle in Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation in western Manitoba.

RCMP said the pedestrians were hit from behind on Porcupine Bay shortly before 10 p.m. Monday.

The woman died at the scene. The man was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

RCMP said the suspected driver, a 21-year-old man, was arrested outside his home nearby while standing next to the four-wheel ATV, which was seized.

The suspect, who faces charges, was released from custody on conditions.

Human remains discovered in RM of Wallace-Woodworth

9:01 AM

A road maintenance crew found human remains while working in the RM of Wallace-Woodworth last week.

RCMP were called about the remains on Aug. 26, after the crew, which was cleaning flooded ditches, found two pieces of a human skull and a bone while working on Road 57 North, just east of Road 148 West.

In a release Wednesday, RCMP said the remains are “consistent with those of a historical or archaeological nature.”

A forensic anthropologist and her team were called and, after attending the site the next day, found a partial skull, right shin bone and lower left femur. The Manitoba Historic Resources Branch was also called to the area.

Carbon dating and testing for some of the remains is now being arranged.

Fires on River Avenue and Tu-Pelo Avenue Tuesday

8:55 AM

Firefighters were called to a business on fire in the 200 block of River Avenue Tuesday evening.

The fire was reported at 8:13 p.m., and it was declared under control at 8:47 p.m.

No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is being investigated.

Earlier Tuesday, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service was called to a house fire in the 200 block of Tu-Pelo Avenue.

Crews responded to the report at 4:14 p.m. and the fire was declared under control at 4:52 p.m.

The occupants of the home were able to escape and no injuries were reported.