Shooting in Manitoba
Several crimes at once – there are dead and injured.
The last few days have been hectic in the province of Manitoba. Several shooting incidents have taken place in different parts of the region. As a result, several people were killed and several injured.
Winnipeg
The first of the incidents happened over the weekend in the provincial capital, Winnipeg. On the morning of Nov. 26, police received a call reporting a shooting at a building on Langside Street. One man and one woman were pronounced dead at the scene. Three other victims were transported to the hospital in critical condition. Another man and a woman later died from their injuries, and the surviving 55-year-old man is still in critical condition at the hospital.
Police have increased control in the area where the shooting occurred and urged Winnipeg residents unaccustomed to such incidents not to panic. The murder investigation is still ongoing and there are no suspects yet.
The incident has managed to become the cause of a local political scandal. Vancouver Liberal MP Ken Hardy on Monday accused Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre of inciting the kind of hatred he believes leads to such crimes. Hardy was referring to Poilievre's emotional speech about the bombing at the U.S.-Canada border — the politician suggested "burning everything down" coming through from the United States. Twenty-four hours later on Nov. 28, Hardy issued a formal public apology and acknowledged that his remarks were inappropriate and there was no connection between the opposition member's words and the Winnipeg shooting.
Swan River
Saturday evening, police in the small town of Swan River, population 4,049, also received a report of shots fired. Officers arriving on the call found the front door, window and wall damaged by gunfire. There appeared to be no injuries. The shooter fled the scene, but on Nov. 27, police obtained a search warrant and arrested a 37-year-old suspect. He faces charges of assault with a weapon as well as several other weapons offenses.
Cross Lake
On the night of Nov. 26, Cross Lake police responded to a call at the medical center. A man was injured as a result of a shooting here. A 56-year-old man suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries. The assailant has already been apprehended. He turned out to be a 23-year-old man. When arrested, he behaved aggressively and kicked police officers. He is now in custody, facing several charges, including aggravated assault, assault on a law enforcement officer and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
What's going on?
It's hard to say exactly what the increased number of gun attacks in Manitoba is related to. Canada regulates the possession and use of firearms quite strictly. However, the province of Manitoba has a strong hunting and hunting tourism industry, which makes the prevalence of guns in the region slightly higher than in other parts of the country.
