'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
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
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.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
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.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
Trump hush money trial: Play-by-play on Day 2 of Stormy Daniels testimony
Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand for a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump's hush money case continues in Manhattan.
B.C. wildfires likely to spread with weekend temperatures expected to soar, province says
Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.