2 men in custody, officers injured after armed-and-barricaded standoff in Winnipeg's North End
CBC News | Posted: February 10, 2024 4:41 PM | Last Updated: February 11, 2024
Officers called to apartment block at Charles Street and College Avenue around 3 a.m. Saturday: spokesperson
Winnipeg police say two men in their 40s are in custody and three officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries after being shot at during what police described as an armed and barricaded standoff on College Avenue near Main Street Saturday.
In a news release late Saturday afternoon, police said the two men were taken into custody after a standoff that began just after 3 a.m. and continued through the morning.
During the standoff, officers were shot at and three were struck, according to police, the release said. Their injuries were not life-threatening.
Police spokesperson Const. Jason Michalyshen said the standoff ended Saturday morning.
"Right from the onset, obviously this is a very volatile situation and worst-case scenario when we have a firearm discharged at police, or anyone for that matter," Michalyshen said. "The silver lining here is that we're acknowledging injuries are not life-threatening…Thankfully, we're not acknowledging anything more serious than that."
At least 17 police vehicles, including the police service's armoured tactical vehicle, along with heavily armed officers, could be seen outside the Stratford Hall apartment building, at Charles Street and College Avenue, earlier in the day.
The release said police were responding to a report a female being held against her will at that location. It said its tactical support team safely removed several occupants, including the female, but that others considered to be armed, refused to exit the suite.
Gunshots were heard by a CBC videographer at the scene around 9 a.m. Police could also be heard calling to a person in the building to come out.
Michalyshen said crisis negotiators and members of the police drone unit were also at the scene. He said the injured officers were receiving treatment at the hospital.
Police have been criticized for their use of force in several recent incidents that resulted in civilian deaths, including university student Afolabi Stephen Opaso, who was shot by police on New Year's Eve and the death of James Wood, who died after a restraint by police in January.
Both deaths resulted in public outcry, condemnation of police by family and calls for transparency and reform in the Independent Investigation Unit investigation process that will commence in both situations.
Both deaths resulted in public outcry, condemnation of police by family and calls for transparency and reform in the Independent Investigation Unit investigation process that will commence in both situations.
"We do our best to rely on the training that we receive and do our very best to de-escalate situations and bring matters to a safe conclusion. But, you know, that doesn't always happen and people do get hurt," Michaylsen said.
"I'm very, very thankful that I'm not acknowledging any fatalities, because that certainly could have been the case today."
Michalyshen said more details will be released next week.
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Corrections:
- An earlier version of this story stated that James Wood died in February, when in fact he died on January 27. February 11, 2024 3:03 PM