Teenage girl sexually assaulted on Red River Trail, Winnipeg police warn of several other attacks

WINNIPEG -

Winnipeg police are warning people about a string of attacks against women along the Red River Trail system, including a teenager who was sexually assaulted.

Winnipeg police said the teenage girl was walking along the river trail behind Churchill High School around 3:45 a.m. on Sunday. As the girl was walking, police said a man grabbed her and sexually assaulted her.

Police said the girl was able to free herself and run for help. The police Sex Crimes Unit responded to the reported assault.

Later that day around 6 p.m., a woman in her 20s was jogging along the river trail near Harkness Avenue when a man came up from the riverbank and attacked her, police said.

"He grabbed hold of her from behind and pulled her to the ground," police said in a news release. "The victim screamed and was able to escape."

Police said these are not the only assaults that have happened in the area recently.

"We've got a series of incidents that really follow along the Red River trail," said Const. Rob Carver of the Winnipeg Police Service. "We need to put out the best warning we can that there is some risk right now."

On June 12, police warned the public of an assault against a woman at Cockburn Street and Churchill Drive.

Police said between April and August 2021, there have been several incidents of women in their mid-teens to late 30s being physically attacked along the Red River Trail system. In these cases, police said the women were grabbed from behind, pulled to the ground and threatened with a weapon.

All the attacks have happened on the west Red River trail from the Osborne Bridge, south along Churchill Drive, to the Elm Park footbridge at Jubilee Avenue.

Winnipeg police said investigators have not been able to 'definitively link' all the attacks.

"Because of what is happening, this isn't the safest area," Carver said. "If you are going to use that trail, there is huge safety in numbers – we know some of the incidents have been in midday bright sunlight, some have been late at night or early morning when it is still dark."

Police said people using the trails should:

• tell someone the route you are taking;
• avoid poorly lit paths or running/walking when it is dark;
• stick to populated paths when running/walking/cycling;
• carry a cellphone and/or personal alarm device;
• run without headphones;
• if you are confronted, be loud and shout for help;

The Winnipeg Police Sex Crimes Unit is investigating the attacks. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sex Crimes Unit at 204-986-6245 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477.