Man in store had gun, police say

Winnipeg police say officers arrested a 28-year-old man who was carrying a loaded handgun in a grocery store Sunday.

Officers were working special duty — overtime work picked up on a voluntary basis — at a store on the 2100 block of McPhillips Street at about 7 p.m. when they recognized a man who was believed to be a suspect in an unrelated gun incident.

“When they approached, they believed that individual to be one and the same, so he was arrested immediately,” Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Stephen Spencer said.

Police did not identify the store.

Officers seized a loaded 9mm Glock handgun, a high-capacity magazine, about $350 worth of cocaine and about $5,200 worth of hydromorphone pills, police said in a news release.

The gun was concealed while the suspect had it in the store, Spencer said.

“Of course, it’s a huge issue for public safety when somebody is in a public place with a loaded firearm,” he said. “We’re very happy the officers ended up seeing this male… and took action immediately.”

The man was charged with firearm and drug offences. He was held in custody.