Fatal police shooting in Maples is 10th investigated by Manitoba watchdog
Independent Investigation Unit started operating in June 2015
The death of a 33-year-old man who was shot by police after he stabbed an officer over the weekend is the 10th police shooting in Manitoba in just over two years and the second fatal police shooting in less than two weeks in Winnipeg.
Police were called to the report of a stabbing at a home on Madrigal Close, in the Maples, shortly after 4 p.m. Sept. 23.
Once inside the home police say a 33-year-old man stabbed an officer in the upper body before being shot by another officer on the scene.
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The officer, a 35-year-old member of the police tactical unit, was rushed to hospital in unstable condition, where he was later upgraded to stable condition.
The 33-year-old man was rushed to hospital in critical condition where he died.
Every time an officer in Manitoba is involved in a fatal incident, the Police Services Act requires the Independent Investigative Unit take over the investigation.
Since its inception in June 2015, the IIU has recommended charges in one of the 10 officer-involved shootings. Here are details of the other shootings:
9. Fatal North End shooting
The first of the two fatal police shootings in Winnipeg this month happened after a chase ended with a man being fatally shot by police in Winnipeg's North End.
In the early hours of Sept. 13, officers and the police helicopter pursued the driver of a stolen vehicle whom they believe was responsible for a gunpoint assault, carjacking and commercial robbery late the night before.
The chase led police from Blake Street to Alfred Avenue near Powers Street, where the suspect and vehicle were located. A confrontation ensued and police shot Adrian Lacquette, the 23-year-old suspect. He was taken to hospital but died.
8. St. Boniface shooting
On July 24, a car sped off when police responded to a report of a man with a gun around some homes on La Verendrye Street.
Police chased it for a few blocks until the car crashed on Archibald Street. It was quickly surrounded by police vehicles and the man in the car was shot.
The 26-year-old man received surgery and was later discharged from hospital.
On Sept. 20, Winnipeg police Const. Rob Carver announced the man had been charged with a list of offences in relation to the July 24 incident, as well as a home invasion in June and an assault in July.
He remains in custody.
The IIU continues to investigate the case.
7. Downtown Skywalk shooting
A man screaming and carrying some type of spear was shot by police in a downtown Winnipeg skywalk on May 1, witnesses said.
A police instructor specializing in use-of-force-training techniques was on lunch break in the skywalk — which crosses above Garry Street and is linked to the police headquarters — when he spotted a man acting strangely in a Subway restaurant.
More officers were called to deal with the man, who eventually kicked open the door to an optometrist's office. Despite numerous orders from police to drop his weapon, the man refused, witnesses told CBC News at the time.
The man was shot and fell to the floor in the optometrist's office.
The IIU is investigating the incident and asks witnesses to contact it at 1-844-667-6060.
6. Armed suspect shot in Portage la Prairie
In June, RCMP shot and apprehended a suspect after an hours-long search in Portage la Prairie, Man.
Officers from Portage la Prairie responded to a report of a stolen vehicle entering their area and they started searching for the suspect.
The search prompted a lockdown of schools, a safety warning from police and searches of vehicles leaving town.
Eventually the suspect was located just east of Portage la Prairie but during the arrest shots were fired.
The suspect was brought to a Winnipeg hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The IIU investigation is ongoing.
5. Beanbag shooting on Sagkeeng First Nation
After a man was seriously injured by a beanbag shotgun on Sagkeeng First Nation, the Independent Investigation Unit found there were no grounds for charges against any officers.
While a beanbag shotgun is considered a "less lethal" firearm, it is still classified as an officer-involved shooting, an IIU spokesperson said.
Officers were executing a search warrant for drugs and firearms in the community about 100 kilometres north of Winnipeg when this shooting happened on Feb. 4.
A man ran toward a bedroom closet and an officer fired one round from the beanbag shotgun.
It hit the man in the abdomen and he jumped onto a bed, eventually coming into contact with a medieval-type battle axe and a large knife that were nearby, the IIU report said.
The man received stitches to his hand and eventually had a finger amputated.
The IIU investigation determined the injury was caused by the man's jump onto the bed, not the beanbag shooting.
4. Portage la Prairie shooting after pursuit
On May 5, 2016, Portage la Prairie RCMP received reports of an erratic driver on the Trans-Canada Highway.
RCMP said the suspect vehicle refused to pull over and after a short pursuit, an officer used his vehicle to stop the suspect's car, not far from the intersection with Highway 240.
The driver got out of the car with a firearm, IIU said, and gunfire followed.
The driver was brought to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The IIU investigation is ongoing.
3. Thompson shooting, resulting in charges
An RCMP officer faces manslaughter charges following a fatal shooting in 2015, the only IIU investigation into an officer-involved shooting that has resulted in charges.
On Nov. 21, 2015 RCMP said Steven Campbell, 39, was driving erratically in Thompson, Man. when officers pulled him over.
An officer approached the vehicle and RCMP said Campbell accelerated and hit him.
RCMP said that is when the officer fired shots at the vehicle, killing Campbell and critically injuring his girlfriend. Campbell's family has said in the past that Campbell didn't accelerate or hit the police officer.
Last March, Const. Abram Letkeman was charged with manslaughter, as well as criminal negligence causing death, reckless discharge of a firearm, criminal negligence causing bodily harm and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
He was arrested March 1.
2. Fatal shooting on Kenaston and Grant
Following an investigation into a fatal shooting in Winnipeg in 2015, IIU did not recommend any charges against responding officers.
On Nov. 6, 2015 Mark Dicesare, 24, was seen with a gun while driving, but the weapon turned out to be an unloaded air gun that resembled an Uzi submachine gun, IIU said in its report about the incident.
Dozens of cruisers chased his car down, surrounding it in a field near Lipsett Hall at the former Kapyong Barracks military site.
IIU's report said communication between the officers and Dicesare, captured on an open line to the 911 operator, revealed Dicesare wanted to end his life by having police shoot him.
Dicesare got out of his vehicle, initially turning the gun towards himself, but eventually aiming it at officers, who opened fire.
Dicesare was hit nine times and later died.
The IIU investigation concluded that police were justified in the shooting and no charges were laid against any officer.
1. Fatal shooting of Haki Sefa following police chase
The director of the Serious Incident Response Team in Nova Scotia was brought in to oversee an investigation into a police-involved shooting in 2015.
On Sept. 20, 2015, Winnipeg police officers were trying to pull over a van in Transcona after several 911 calls that said the driver could be suicidal, was travelling with a gun and may be on his way to kill another person.
When the van was finally stopped, the driver, 44-year-old Haki Sefa, got out with a gun.
Three officers fired their guns causing Sefa's death, the IIU report said.
Sefa was a plumber and father of four who was suffering from depression.
The investigation said the officers were justified and no charges were be laid.
Prior to IIU being established there were 10 Winnipeg police-involved shootings from 2009 to 2014.
That includes a 2014 shooting of a man who was allegedly trying to rob a gas bar and was brought to hospital in stable condition, and a shooting in 2012 where officers fired at, but didn't injure, a suspect involved in a commercial break and enter.
Half of those shootings were in 2010, including a 14-year-old male who was shot and then treated and released into custody and a 28-year-old man armed with a machete who was shot and died of his injuries.