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
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
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.
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.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
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.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.