Former Mountie critical after RCMP gun used to shoot Winnipeg teen

A retired Mountie says if the RCMP gun used in the shooting of a Winnipeg teen had been properly stored, it likely wouldn't have ended up on the street. 

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Garry Clement, a former RCMP superintendent, said it's a tragedy that a 16-year-old girl was injured when a stolen RCMP gun was fired into a car in Windsor Park early Saturday morning.

"The requirements to properly secure your weapon are well-enunciated, and a firearm that is left in a vehicle is supposed to be in a lockbox and fully secured with even a trigger lock on it," said Clement.

Winnipeg police said the firearm was taken from an off-duty RCMP officer's vehicle in the southeast corner of the city just hours before for the shooting on Autumnwood Drive.

Clement, who is based in Colborne, Ont., said it's next to impossible to steal a firearm if it's properly secured in a vehicle, adding it would have to be taken to a welder in order to get the box cut open.

"We're dealing with human beings. Human beings make mistakes. Should they be making mistakes with a lethal weapon? The answer is no," he said.

Winnipeg police said the off-duty officer's equipment belt and camera gear were also stolen from the marked vehicle. 

Shortly after the vehicle was broken into and the gun and other items were stolen, two men got into an argument with a group of young people in a Windsor Park parking lot, police said.

One of the suspects shot at the vehicle some of the youth were in, striking the 16-year-old 

She is still in hospital but is expected to recover. 

A 22-year-old man has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, theft under $5,000, mischief under $5,000 and a number of weapons-related charges, police announced Monday.

A 25-year-old man faces numerous firearms-related charges and two counts of theft under $5,000.​

Human error

Clement said there are a number of reasons why an RCMP officer would take a firearm home. 

"If you're on call, where you have to take a police cruiser home and you're expected to respond from your house to an accident or crime scene, it helps officers get there quicker," said Clement.

Officers in specialized units who deal with potential security risks are also allowed to take their firearms home, Clement said. 

But it's the officer's responsibility to store the weapon properly. 

"It really doesn't come down to where it's stored. It comes down to how it's stored," said Clement.

Clement said he saw similar situations a handful of times during his career, and it always comes down to human error and improper storage.

The consequences an officer could face for breaking the rules range from being demoted to suspended or even losing his or her job, he said.