Manitoba man stabbed over diapers in The Pas
The survivor of a deadly random attack in The Pas said he was stabbed over a box of diapers – a violent encounter that he said shows the need for more support in his community.
Oliver Hart was walking out of his apartment last Friday, his arms full of baby supplies for his young child, when he said three people confronted him.
He said one of them grabbed a box of diapers from him, and another pulled out a knife.
"That's when I realized this was actually happening. This is serious. These guys are threatening my life."
Hart said the one with the knife lunged at him and stabbed him in the side.
"It caught me off guard. It was so quick. It happened so fast," he said. "I let go of the box and the two ran off with my son's Pampers. And it hit me, you know, I've just been stabbed."
Hart was one of two men stabbed in The Pas that day. The second victim, 41-year-old Eugene Michelle, died of his injuries.
Manitoba RCMP said it appears the attacks were random.
Police charged a 16-year-old male with second-degree murder, and a 15-year-old female and 33-year-old man with manslaughter. The charges have not been proven in court. Police said they are not looking for any other suspects in the attacks.
Hart has lived in The Pas for 12 years, and until now has never been threatened or attacked before. But he said there has been a rise in drugs and gang violence.
"It wasn't always like this, but in the last few years, it has grown more and more violent," he said.
"There needs to be a bigger response – a call to action against these types of activities and these people bringing that into our community."
It is a call echoed by Andre Murphy, the Mayor of The Pas.
"There's a huge drug problem within our area, our tri-community, but as well as throughout northern Manitoba," he said.
He believes better addictions and mental health supports would help curb the violence.
There is one 16-bed addiction treatment centre in The Pas, but according to the Northern Health Region, there is currently a three to five-week waitlist. A spokesperson for the region said there are other supports provided through the community's general hospital, along with community addictions workers. Further supports are available in Thompson.
However, Murphy said due to the long waits, many residents end up travelling to Winnipeg or Brandon to get the care they need.
"We as a community would like to see the same level of services in northern Manitoba as well as in The Pas as you see in southern Manitoba," he said.
In a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson for Bernadette Smith, the minister covering addictions and mental health, said the province is committed to improving supports for northern communities dealing with addictions and mental health challenges.
"Including working with law enforcement to hire additional mental health support workers," the statement reads. "We also continue to collaborate with community organizations to ensure that people can access treatment options across Manitoba, regardless of where they live.”
Sitting in his hospital bed in Winnipeg, recovering from the stabbing, Hart said he hopes changes will come soon, so something like this doesn't happen again.
"This shouldn't have been. And to the people who attacked me – I'm stronger than this. I'm going to keep living."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels will take the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
NEW Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
RateMDs violates privacy of health professionals, class-action lawsuit claims
A lawsuit against RateMDs has been given the go-ahead by a B.C. Supreme Court judge who found the claim that the website violates the privacy rights of medical professionals is not 'bound to fail.'
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
With contactless screening tech, this Toronto startup hopes to catch breast cancer early — and save lives
Amid evidence of rising breast cancer rates among young women in Canada, one Toronto startup is offering a contactless and radiation-free device that can help doctors identify suspicious changes in breast tissue. The company, Linda Lifetech, says this can lead to earlier detection of breast cancer.
Tornadoes tear through southeastern U.S. as storms leave 3 dead
Forecasters warned a wave of dangerous storms in the U.S. could wash over parts of the South early Thursday, a day after severe weather with damaging tornadoes and large hail killed at least three people in the region.