An attempt to run down a Winnipeg police officer in a shopping mall parking lot is an indication of a growing disrespect criminals have for police, according to the police union.
"It shows the prevalence of violence that's out there," said Winnipeg Police Assoc. President Loren Schinkel. "There's a total disdain for front-line defense officers in the City of Winnipeg."
On Monday afternoon, an officer opened fire on a stolen car in the middle of a parking lot at the Polo Park shopping centre.
Winnipeg Police Service spokesperson Sgt. Kelly Dennison said the incident began when police noticed someone was trying to steal an SUV.
Dennison said the officers were stopping the vehicle and attempting to arrest the people inside, when another stolen car started driving straight for them.
He said it was then that the officer shot at the second vehicle.
"He fired one round out of his fire arm which struck the stolen vehicle," Dennison said.
The car took off down St. James Street. It was found later that night in Tyndall Park. The Pontiac Grand Am had a bullet hole in the hood.
He said officers are now putting together a description of the suspects. "We'll be tracking them down," he said. No arrests have been made.
Incident nothing new
This isn't the first time a driver has tried to mow down a police officer. In two separate incidents in November, car thieves tried to run officers down. Both times officers fired their weapons. There were no injuries in any of these incidents.
The Winnipeg Police Assoc. said in the last seven months officers have discharged their weapons seven times.
On a per capita basis, that's more than any other Canadian city. In three of those incidents, stolen cars were being used as a weapon.
"These individuals need to be incarcerated," said Schinkel. "You know it shouldn't be up to the police to baby sit them. It's up to the lawmakers of the land to do something about this problem."
CTV News interviews former thief
CTV's Stacey Ashley spoke to one of those auto thieves, who did not want to use his name.
He and some friends stole an SUV from Polo Park in 2006, and it wasn't long before police caught up with them.
"As they came to try and box us is when we rammed them," he said. He spent three weeks in jail, and admits the sentence was a mere slap on the wrist. The 17-year-old said serving time and having a baby put his life back in order.
"I admitted everything I did. I had fire arms with me. I admitted to that. I took responsibility for myself," he explained.
Right now there are about 100 level-four car thieves in Manitoba. Level four is the designation police place on the worst repeat auto thieves.
When contacted by CTV news, the provincial government could not comment on how many of those high-risk thieves are on the streets.
With a story from CTV's Stacey Ashley
