'I don't feel comfortable': Girl viciously attacked in latest incident affecting Winnipeg Transit users
A teenager is recovering at home after a vicious assault at a Winnipeg Transit stop. She was transferring from one bus to another when she was approached and attacked by three people.
Around 10 p.m. last Thursday, 18-year-old Carissa Chaput was beaten and robbed by three people after getting off a bus in south Winnipeg.
"They were saying, 'do you want to get shot?' And I said 'no' and I thought they were joking, so I just scoffed it off," said Chaput.
She said two of the people, both females, attacked her. She tried to defend herself but she was overwhelmed.
"They were stomping on my neck, punching me, pulling my hair. I have bald spots on my head from them pulling out my hair. They bit me."
This is just the latest in a series of incidents affecting transit passengers and drivers alike.
"It's reaching epidemic proportions," said Chris Scott, the president of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1505.
So far this month, ATU said there have been eight reports of assaults against transit workers.
"Starting back in '99, assaults were the exception, not the rule. And they've become such a common occurrence now, it's disheartening."
The union wants a multi-tiered security force put in place as soon as possible, one that could be a combination of inspectors, security officers with the right to detain people, and a division of the police force.
It's an idea that Coun. Janice Lukes, the chair of the Transit Advisory Committee, supports.
"It's a huge priority…we have to somehow bring to an end these horrific incidents that are happening on the buses," said Lukes.
Despite wanting the change, she warns it will take time to secure lasting funding and hire peace officers, should this plan be approved.
In the meantime, Chaput said she will be finding another way to get around the city.
"I don't feel comfortable taking buses right now," said Chaput.
In a statement to CTV News Winnipeg, the city says Winnipeg Transit is committed to safety for all users and employees.
It added the Transit Advisory Committee provides guidance for all potential new safety initiatives and it's premature to discuss potential outcomes.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Calgary police shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers dealt with a distraught individual. The incident lasted almost 20 hours.