Manitoba

Woman randomly injects shopper with needle filled with 'noxious' fluid, Winnipeg police say

A Winnipeg woman has been arrested after police say she randomly injected a shopper with a needle at St. Vital Centre.

Police say they caught up to the woman in another part of St. Vital shopping mall Wednesday

Winnipeg police say a woman attacked a stranger at random with a needle at St. Vital Centre on Wednesday evening. (CBC)

A Winnipeg woman has been arrested after police say she randomly injected a shopper with a needle at St. Vital Centre.

Police said they were called to the mall at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. They said the victim and the suspect, who did not know each other, were in the same store when the suspect allegedly "stabbed the victim in the arm with a hypodermic needle with a syringe," said police.

The needle may have contained a fluid that was "destructive or noxious thing," said police.

After the random attack, the suspect ran out of the store with a bunch of stolen goods, setting off alarms, said police.

Police and security caught up to the suspect in another part of the mall. Officers found 1.1 grams of meth, several syringes, stolen merchandise and ID from another female, according to police.

The victim was taken to hospital and treated.

A 30-year-old Winnipeg woman faces charges of aggravated assault, administering a noxious thing with intent to endanger life or cause bodily harm, possession of meth, possession of stolen ID, theft under $5,000 and failing to comply with court orders.

She is in custody.