'Planning to attack me': Woman shares warning with others after attack in south Winnipeg
A woman is sharing a recent experience where she said she was attacked in south Winnipeg, in hopes others will be more vigilant in their daily activities.
Rebecca Rempel said she had parked her vehicle in a parking lot near the intersection of St. Mary's Road and Dakota Street on Victoria Day around 6 p.m. as she was making a quick stop in the area.
As she was walking back to her vehicle, she said she noticed two people hanging out around it and immediately felt uncomfortable.
"So I headed back into the nearest store…and I let the man that was working there know that there were some sketchy people sitting at my car and I just wanted to wait inside," said Rempel.
After waiting a few minutes, she noticed the people were walking away in the opposite direction from where she was and she felt safe enough to go to her vehicle.
"When I started walking towards my vehicle, and I was at this point (where I was) closer to my van than I was to the store, (one person) had turned around and all of a sudden he started sprinting towards me and had a look as if he was planning to attack me."
By the time Rempel got to her car, she said the man had draped himself over the door and prevented her from getting inside.
She said he started reaching for her wallet and she gave him around $2 in quarters but tried to explain she didn't have any other cash.
"He looked up at me as if he was furious that I didn't have anything to give him. And that's when he lunged backwards to reach down and as soon as he moved his arms, I slammed my door shut and locked it."
By the time she was trying to drive away, she said she looked up and the man was blocking the front of her vehicle and appeared to have some sort of sharp object in his hand.
Rempel was able to back up and use the exit that was behind her.
She said she wasn't able to call police right away as her phone was dead, but called 911 about 15 minutes after the incident when she was picking up her kids.
Rempel was physically unharmed, but noted she did end up going to the hospital afterward because she was in a state of shock.
ADVICE FOR OTHERS TO STAY VIGILANT
Following the incident, Rempel wants to share her experience and hopefully help others who might have to deal with a similar situation in the future.
She said everyone should be aware that it can happen at any time, in any part of the city.
She recommends always having your phone charged or having a charger handy, as well as any devices that could make noise and alert other people that there is a problem.
Lastly, she feels it's important to let others know where you are and what you are doing, just in case something happens.
"I was going to pick up my daughters, but I had never mentioned that I was making a stop and so had something happened, no one that knew me would have known where I was."
CTV News Winnipeg did reach out to police, who confirmed the major crimes unit is working on the file. Police said more details about the incident might be shared next week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.