Man injured during altercation with Winnipeg police, third incident in a week

Manitoba’s police watchdog is investigating after a man was injured during an encounter with the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS), the third such incident reported in a week in the city.

According to a news release, officers were called to the 200 block of Provencher Boulevard after it was reported an ‘agitated male’ was trying to drag a woman outside of a building.

When officers arrived and found the man, he allegedly grabbed a sharp pencil, held it to his neck, and threatened to harm himself. Police said members of the tactical team attempted to de-escalate the situation, but were not successful.

A less lethal foam round and a Taser were used in an attempt to temporarily incapacitate the man.

Police said he fell to the ground, but was still behaving erratically. He tried to grab another item, but officers were able to handcuff the man and call an ambulance. He was sedated by paramedics and taken for assessment.

The woman was not physically injured.

According to a WPS news release, the man sustained minor injuries, which resulted in the Independent Investigation Unit (IIU) being notified. They have since taken over the investigation.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Winnipeg Police Chief Danny Smyth said Wednesday’s incident was classed as a mental health act call, and the male won’t be facing charges.

Smyth added that the number of mental health and wellness calls police are responding to have grown in recent years.

“We're attending calls like this almost 21,000 times a year now,” he said, adding mental health calls have surpassed calls for domestic disputes.

Smyth added he is supportive of embedding more mental health clinicians with the police service, but added there is a current shortage in the field.

“That's what's preventing us from getting to seven-day coverage now; we don't have enough clinicians to embed,” he said.

THIRD OFFICER-INVOLVED INCIDENT IN ONE WEEK

This is the third officer-involved incident police have responded to since Dec. 28, which saw officers fatally shoot two people.

That incident happened at an apartment on Furby Street during a hostage situation.

Winnipeg police shot and killed a man who allegedly held multiple people – including a child – hostage in a suite.

The name of the hostage taker was not released, but police said he was a 52-year-old man who was known to police.

Another incident happened on Dec. 31 on University Crescent when police responded to a report of a man acting erratically. Officers said a 19-year-old man, later identified as Afolabi Stephen Opaso, was armed with two knives when he was shot by officers. Opaso later died from his injuries.

The IIU is investigating both incidents.