Police called within minutes to reports of armed suspects at two South Point Douglas shelters

Winnipeg -

Winnipeg police say they responded to two separate incidents less than an hour apart at two different South Point Douglas shelters involving suspects believed to be armed with weapons.

Police were called to the first incident just after 8 p.m. Sunday for a report of a man inside a building threatening people with a knife.

While on their way, police got a second call saying the man attempted to stab an employee, and staff restrained him to the ground.

Officers say he was taken into custody soon after.

The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) said it is believed the man was attempting to take drugs when he was asked to leave the shelter. Officers said he struck a staff member in the head while holding a knife.

Police said he then unfolded the weapon and aggressively approached another staff member before being taken to the ground and disarmed.

Nathaniel Sean Capay, 23, from Winnipeg is charged with two counts of assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon, and fail to comply with condition of undertaking.

None of the charges have been proven in court.

He was detained in custody.

Meanwhile, officers were called to another incident at another South Point Douglas shelter less than an hour later Sunday night.

Patrol officers, with the help of the Tactical Support Team and AIR1, responded to a report of a man in psychosis believed to be armed with a firearm.

Officers found the man inside the building and arrested him after using a Taser. They say he had bear spray and a substance believed to be methamphetamine.

A 26-year-old man from Winnipeg is facing weapon and drug-related charges.

Police did not identify him.

He was released on a court appearance notice and then taken to hospital for medical assessment.

WPS Public Information Officer Const. Jay Murray said it is important to acknowledge the fundamental role these shelters play in addressing the societal challenges that Winnipeg faces.

“Unfortunately we’ve seen a number of incidents over the past year, violent incidents that have occurred at these shelters, and the Winnipeg Police Service is prepared to respond, and we’ve been successful in terms of de-escalating and taking these individuals into custody and providing them help where it’s needed,” he said.

Murray said officers are usually in the proximate area to many of these shelters, allowing them to respond quickly, but these shelters are not regularly staffed with police.

“It’s certainly something that may come up in discussions in the near future,” he said.