Recent string of gun-related incidents sparks concerns of rising gun violence in Winnipeg
A string of gun-related incidents in Winnipeg have some asking if gun violence is on the rise.
Const. Dani McKinnon with the Winnipeg Police Service said despite the recent string of incidents, the stats don’t show an increase.
“When we look at the year-over-year statistics, we’re quite even," McKinnon said.
Last week, a man living on Poplar Avenue was shot when he confronted some people outside of his home trying to steal his truck, that same night a man living on Riverstone Road was shot at while letting out his dog in the early morning.
Over the weekend shots were fired at Bar Italia on Corydon Avenue, and that same night a man was shot while riding his bike down Higgins Avenue.
“I think why this is standing out right now is, yes admittedly these incidents are happening in a more random fashion," McKinnon said.
She said approximately 1,200 guns were seized by Winnipeg police in 2020, and 700 of those were crime guns used in some kind of offence.
She said so far in 2021, police has seized close to 600 crime guns.
“The acquisition of guns that are being used in the crimes that we’re seeing (there’s) a high probability that they are gang affiliated," McKinnon said.
Dr. Michael Weinrath, professor of criminal justice at the University of Winnipeg, said a lot of the random violence is connected to local street gangs.
“If you recruit really violent people, you’re going to recruit people who are short-tempered, who are going to start shooting when they get turned down to go into a bar," Weinrath said.
Weinrath said street gangs do not have the structure that some of the larger organized crime gangs in the city do, and that can manifest itself in more random acts of violence.
“There’s a certain amount of pressure on them to commit violent crimes to gain the confidence of the gangs, and sort of move up in the echelon,” said Weinrath.
McKinnon said a majority of the guns in Winnipeg are coming from outside the country.
“We are very close to the United States, as well there’s some discussion around Centerport and commercial transport.”
McKinnon said Winnipeg police have specialized units working to infiltrate and dismantle crime organizations involved in the use and acquisition of firearms.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
NEW 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire': A crowd pleaser that turns it up to 11
Hot on the heels of last year's 'Godzilla Minus One' comes 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,' the first ever Academy Award winner in the giant reptile's decades-long film career.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.