Four charged in St. James fight

Four people are facing charges after an assault at a St. James apartment building.

A man was struck in the face with a pistol when he answered the door at his apartment suite in the 2200 block of Portage Avenue at about 2:15 a.m. Oct. 18, and a physical fight broke out in the hallway. Bear spray was used during the fight, the Winnipeg Police Service stated in a news release Sunday.

Police learned one of the men involved in the fight had been armed at a nearby restaurant, in the 2100 block of Portage Avenue, where he was refused service. Restaurant staff called police after seeing what appeared to be a gun in the man’s hand as he was leaving.

A group of men then went to the apartment building and knocked on a suite door, police said, adding the men involved knew each other. The man who was armed at the restaurant was involved in the altercation, police stated, but no specific details about his role were released.

Two men who were hurt in the fight were taken to hospital in stable condition. Police recovered an air gun on scene.

Four men are facing charges in the incident — an 18-year-old, two 19-year-olds and a 26-year-old. They were all released on undertakings and their names weren’t released.