Winnipeg police are examining whether multiple shootings and a house blaze are connected.
CTV News is told the Indian Posse and MOB street gangs are in the midst of a feud, with residents of Winnipeg’s North End seeing a rise in violence.
On Thursday night, witnesses said suspects wearing red bandanas stormed into a home on Aberdeen Avenue.
“I heard screaming, like a female screaming really hard,” said one witness, who didn’t want to be identified.
People inside the home fled and the intruders made their way into a back alley, where a teenage boy was shot in the leg.
On Thursday morning, a home known to police on Burrows Avenue was set on fire.
On Aug. 4, a 25-year-old man was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound.
Police are now investigating possible ties to the crimes.
“I can tell you we are aware and we are monitoring as closely as we can,” said Const. Jason Michalyshen from Winnipeg police.
"It's about making members of the public and community feel safe and I think the best reassurance I can provide is that we are out - we are making every effort to identify what's going on here,” he said.
Police also said they want to make it clear that the recent violence is nowhere near the level of last summer’s battle between the Rock Machine and the Redlined Support Crew. For weeks, there were firebombing and shooting incidents in summer 2011.
Officers are not calling the violence this summer a gang war.
“I don’t want to compare what was going on last summer. Quite simply, we are acknowledging some violent acts,” said Michalyshen.
CTV News has learned the MOB have fighting underway within the gang as well.
- with a report from CTV's Stacey Ashley
