News briefs for Thursday, October 1, 2026

Attempted murder suspect from Ontario arrested in Cross Lake

4:00 PM

A southern Ontario man wanted on an attempted murder warrant for more than three years was arrested last month in Cross Lake in Manitoba’s north.

Peel Regional Police said Nakeem Jamar Johnson, 36, was picked up the RCMP in Cross Lake on Sept. 22. He’s been wanted by police since May 2023.

Peel police responded to a shooting in Brampton in February 2022 in which a man was shot and left with serious but not life-threatening wounds. Johnson was later identified as a suspect in that case.

Johnson was moved from Cross Lake to Winnipeg to Brampton, where he’s been held ahead of a bail hearing.

Sex offender released from Stony Mountain prison

1:53 PM

Law enforcement officials are warning the public about a high-risk sex offender who’s expected to live in Winnipeg after he was let out of Stony Mountain prison on Thursday.

The Manitoba Integrated High Risk Sex Offender Unit, made up of Winnipeg police and RCMP, said Michael Curtis Thomas, 33, left prison on statutory release from his sentence for aggravated sexual assault.

Thomas was convicted of the charge in December 2021 and given a sentence of just over five years. In 2020, he attacked a woman, sexually assaulted her, caught up to her after she tried to run away and choked her until she fell unconscious, before sexually assaulting her again. A homeowner interrupted the brutal assault.

Officials say Thomas, who has completed some sex offender programming, remains a high risk to attack women in a sexually violent manner. He has a history of violent crime.

Thomas is on conditions until Jan. 22, 2027, which include not taking or possessing drugs or alcohol, following a treatment plan arranged by his parole supervisor, to reside where corrections officials tell him to, and to immediately report all relationships and friendships with women to his parole supervisor, among other conditions.

New King’s Bench family division justice appointed

1:18 PM

Canada’s justice minister has announced a new Manitoba Court of King’s Bench family division judge.

Justice Minister Sean Fraser announced Thursday that Hafeez A. Khan, a Winnipeg lawyer, has been named a King’s Bench justice in the family division. Khan is to replace Justice R.B. Doyle, who retired in August.

Khan was born and raised in Winnipeg. He was called to the Manitoba bar in 2003 and the bar in New York state in 2004. He is bilingual and practices in both English and French.

His law practice has primarily focused on child protection. He has chaired the Mental Health Review Board and was counsel in the Phoenix Sinclair Inquiry.

“I wish Justice Khan every success as he takes on his new role. I am confident he will serve the people of Manitoba well as a member of the Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba,” said Fraser, in a statement.

Fourth suspect arrested in Easterville group assault

12:49 PM

A teenage suspect wanted in connection to a group assault with a machete in Easterville late last month has been arrested.

Three teenagers were already charged after a 17-year-old boy was seriously injured in an assault involving a machete and a firearm on Sept. 26.

Chemawawin RCMP were called about shots fired outside a home in the community, about 464 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, around 4:15 a.m. that day. While officers were responding, they learned an injured teenager had been brought to the Easterville nursing station.

Police said the 17-year-old victim had been attacked by a group of five or six male youths known to him. He suffered injuries from a machete and firearm pellets and was later transported to Winnipeg in stable condition for further treatment.

Two 16-year-old boys and a 17-year-old boy were arrested and charged with aggravated assault that day. All three were remanded in custody.

The fourth suspect, a 16-year-old boy, was arrested in the community on Wednesday. He’s been charged with aggravated assault and held in custody.

City police recover officer’s lost Taser

10:35 AM

The Winnipeg Police Service has recovered a Taser electroshock weapon that a patrol officer lost in the North End in September.

The officer lost the weapon while patrolling near Dufferin Avenue and Salter Street on Sept. 10.

Police said the officer’s Taser was “dislodged and separated” from its holster at some point that morning.

Police recovered the weapon on Tuesday.

Fire breaks out in Main Street Project, quickly doused

9:03 AM

A fire broke out in Main Street Project’s homeless shelter early Thursday morning.

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service were alerted by a fire alarm just before 3 a.m. Firefighters found smoke inside the building and evacuated everyone who was inside.

Before crews arrived, Main Street Project staff used fire extinguishers to try to put out the fire, which kept the flames small and contained, the fire department said.

Firefighters quickly doused the blaze by just before 3:10 a.m. The fire was contained to a single room.

Main Street Project remains open with reduced capacity. City social workers worked with Main Street Project staff to support the people displaced by the fire. Some were sent to other area shelters.

Fire investigators are looking into the cause of the blaze.