Teens facing weapons charges after weekend incident at Red River Ex

The Red River Ex is pictured before it opens in Winnipeg on June 14, 2024. Two teens have been charged after they allegedly threatened another group with weapons on Sunday. (Jamie Dowsett/CTV News Winnipeg)

Two teens have been charged after they allegedly threatened a group with weapons at the Red River Exhibition on the weekend.

Police responded Sunday at 8:30 p.m. to the fairgrounds for a weapons call.

According to police, a group of males, between 15 and 18 years old, were waiting in line for a ride at the fair, when two teenagers allegedly confronted them. While the two groups were arguing, the teens allegedly brandished a machete and a pistol.

Constable Dani McKinnon with the Winnipeg Police Service said it is believe the two groups did not know each other.

“Something started a verbal disput, and the next thing you know, weapons were brandished,” she said.

The victims managed to escape and reported the incident to Red River Ex security, who then apprehended the suspects.

A 17-year-old male and a 15-year-old male were both charged with possession of a weapon and were detained in custody. The charges have not been proven in court.

Police said the gun was later determined to be an air pistol.

The victims were not injured, police said.

McKinnon said they believe the weapons were tossed over a fence at the grounds.

“(The Red River Ex entrances) have metal detectors, a walk-through scanner, they have wands…it’s a very standard setup for a community checkpoint, so they know those weapons aren’t going to come through successfully, so they toss them over ahead of time.”

McKinnon said as a result of this incident, the Red River Ex has bolstered its perimeter security to ensure the grounds remain safe.