A confrontation between a man carrying a spear and police officers ended up spilling into a Winnipeg optometrist’s office before the man was shot, according to two witnesses.
Optometrist Dr. Robert Lecker said police asked the man to drop his weapon before an officer fired two shots.
Nicelyn Romero, Lecker’s assistant, was sitting at her desk when she noticed a man who appeared to be agitated with a “long knife” arguing with three police officers outside the glass doors and windows of their office, which is located on the second floor of the Graham Skywalk.
Romero said police followed the man into their office after he kicked the door open and walked towards Romero’s desk carrying the spear.
“The police asked him to drop the weapon, but he didn’t listen,” said Romero. “They asked him again many times that he should drop the weapon otherwise they’re going to shoot him.”
Dr. Lecker had two patients in the back room of his office when he heard Romero call him for help. When he stepped out of the room he saw the man with the spear.
“There was just a lot of screaming and yelling and commotion going on,” said Dr. Lecker. “A lot of swearing, a lot of ‘F’ words.”
“I heard ‘drop your knife, drop your knife, drop your knife,’ I figured I’m not coming any closer to this.”
Dr. Lecker went back into the room in his office and tried to close to the door and that’s when he heard shots fired.
“Two shots. Boom, boom. One hit him, one missed him.”
Dr. Lecker said the man was still agitated after being shot.
READ MORE: IIU to investigate Winnipeg police officer involved shooting at downtown skywalk
The man, who is 25 years old, was eventually hauled out of the skywalk on a stretcher and taken to hospital in unstable condition. Police said Tuesday morning the man has been upgraded to stable condition and remains in hospital.
Dr. Lecker said he doesn’t know who the man was or what led to the confrontation between the man and police.
“They [police] were giving him every opportunity to drop his weapon and he was basically undone.”
A portion of the skywalk between Smith and Garry Street was closed Monday, but was open again Tuesday morning.
Dr. Lecker’s office was also back open for business on Tuesday.
A cleaner was tidying up the area where the man was shot.
The only visible evidence of the shooting was one bullet hole in the back wall of the office.
The Independent Investigation Unit is probing the officer-involved shooting.
The unit said it is looking for witnesses who may have information about the incident, or video footage. It asks anyone who does, to contact the IIU at 1-844-667-6060.
