An off duty police officer leaving work in Downtown Winnipeg had a gun pointed at him and his union says the trigger was pulled.
"We avoided tragedy just based on the fact that this firearm misfired," said Moe Sabourin, Winnipeg Police Association president.
The Winnipeg Police Service says around 2:40 a.m. Sunday morning, an off duty officer was walking towards his personal vehicle on Garry Street when a male approached him. Police say the suspect pointed a gun in the officer's direction. The officer drove away and called 911.
Sabourin says the suspect knew the member was an officer and he says the trigger was pulled twice. Sabourin says based on the suspect's reaction the gun misfired. Sabourin says the officer was unarmed.
Winnipeg resident Mitchell Dean Beardy, 38, has been charged with aggravated assault of a peace officer, possession of a scheduled substance for the purpose of trafficking-cocaine and a number of firearms offences.
Police allege that when they arrested Beardy he had individually packaged baggies with 6.6 grams of cocaine with a street value around $600, as well as a 9mm bullet.
He is in custody at the Winnipeg Remand Centre.
"When we have an individual such as this that has now targeted one of our members, knowing that he was a police officer and pulling a firearm on him gives us grave concerns," said Sabourin.
Sabourin is reiterating the union's call for safe and secure parking for its members working Downtown, like a fenced off surface lot with card access or space in the parkade at the Millennium Library.
"We continue to have the most dangerous area in the city and our members are left to fend for themselves," said Sabourin.
In a statement Brian Bowman's office says the mayor supports a safe work environment for police officers.
“The mayor understands that the chief of police has already administered a number of measures that are available to members to address safety and the mayor supports the chief's efforts. The WPS would be in the best position to address those measures specifically,” the statement read.
In its news release about the incident the Winnipeg Police Service said the following:
"Downtown safety is top of mind for many in our community, including our own police community where nearly 70 per cent of our resources are located. We remind the public that the Downtown BIZ offers a SafeWalk program to escort anyone in the Downtown area to their car or bus stop from 8 a.m. - Midnight. The most effective measure you can take to protect yourself against crime is to stay alert to your surroundings and trust your instincts. If you feel unsafe in a situation or place, leave immediately and notify the police.”
Police board chair Kevin Klein says he won't comment on the parking matter until he's been briefed by the police chief. But Klein says the incident is a sign of a larger safety problem -- meth.
"It's not just Downtown for the police, look at all the people that work Downtown, look at all the folks that live Downtown, it's a concern for everybody," said Klein.
