Winnipeg's Red River Ex expands security measures after shooting at last year's fair

The Red River Exhibition, one of Winnipeg's biggest summer fairs, is spending almost twice as much money on security this year in an attempt to keep it safe after a shooting incident there sent two youth to hospital in 2022.

The 10-day fair, which kicks off on Friday, will have an increased security presence — as it did last year after two boys aged 11 and 16 were hospitalized with gunshot wounds.

This year, nearly $300,000 is being spent on security measures to guard "every inch" of the property and ensure public safety, said Garth Rogerson, chief executive officer of the Red River Exhibition Association.

"We want to make sure that everybody comes and has just a wonderful time, and [doesn't] have to worry about those kinds of security problems," he told CBC News.

More than 200,000 people visit the fair every year, according to the Ex website. 

This year, there will be one security guard for every 150 people in attendance, compared with 250 in the past, Rogerson said.

A mix of uniformed and plain-clothed security guards and Winnipeg police officers will be roaming the grounds and the nearby perimeter during the festivities, with some wearing body cameras. Increased, monitored surveillance cameras will also be deployed, he said.

"It's a co-ordinated effort … and the end goal is to not have a single problem."

The fair typically spent $130,000 to $150,000 on security before the shooting. This year, the bill will be close to $300,000 and policing is the largest cost, Rogerson said.

"We're going to be at least $250,000 for guards alone, plus, of course, the equipment," he said. "It's staggering how much money we have to spend on policing, but … we must have a safe family event, and we'll do what is required to make sure that happens."

Pat downs and random searches will be implemented and double fencing will also be used, Rogerson said.

Last year's shooting occurred after an altercation, police said. The injured teen — who worked for an independent game operator at the Ex — was taken to hospital in critical condition and stabilized the next day.

Two 17-year-old boys and a 15-year-old girl charged in connection to the shooting were found in a taxi with a loaded handgun in Winnipeg's Shaughnessy Heights area, less than two hours after the incident occurred, police previously said.

Investigators found out the day after the shooting that an 11-year-old boy, who was a bystander, was also hit by a bullet. He was rushed to hospital, treated for a gunshot wound to his lower body and later released.

The fair, which was established in 1952, had never seen an incident like the shooting before and staff were baffled by it, Rogerson said.

"We all stood and looked at each other and said: 'What did we do wrong?'"

That's why the organizers decided to be extra vigilant this year, Rogerson said, adding they want to be aware of potential threats before anything can escalate.

The Ex has also revisited its medical resources, since paramedics on the scene helped save the teen's life. In addition, assistance is needed for people who have heart attacks and heat strokes, which happens regularly at the fair, he said.