Winnipeg averaging around six stabbing calls a day in 2022: Police

A file image of the Winnipeg Police Service taken on Dec. 24, 2019. (Source: CTV News Winnipeg)

New numbers from the Winnipeg Police Services show officers have been responding to multiple stabbing calls in 2022 and that continued over the long weekend.

Police said to date, officers have been called to 860 calls where a stabbing was suspected this year, which averages out to just under six a day.

This long weekend alone, police were called to six stabbing calls, three of which happened on the same day.

The first incident happened on May 20 at around 11:16 p.m. Officers were called to a hospital where a man in his 30s was dropped off with a "severe" stab wound.

He was considered in critical condition when he arrived, but was later upgraded to stable. Police believe he was stabbed in the 800 block of Main Street near a bar and officers continue to investigate the incident.

The following day three people were arrested after two women were stabbed outside a bar according to police. It happened in the area of Main Street and Jarvis Avenue, and the two women – one in her 30s and the other in her 40s – were taken to hospital in unstable condition and later upgraded to stable.

Police arrested a 15-year-old male, a 17-year-old female, and a 37-year-old man. All three are facing assault-related charges and they have not been tested in court.

On May 22, three incidents happened. The first was at 2:13 a.m. at a bar in the 100 block of Osborne Street. Police said a man in his 30s who was working security was stabbed. He was taken to hospital in critical condition and later upgraded to stable.

Police continue to investigate.

Then around 6:35 p.m. that same day, police were called to a home in the 600 block of Alexander Avenue after police say a man in his 30s was stabbed at a kid's birthday party.

Police said he was taken to hospital in stable condition and a short time later a second man in his 30s also went to the hospital to have a cut treated. Police said both men didn't want further assistance from officers.

Then at 11:31 p.m. officers went to a home in the 100 block of Powers Street, where police said two teenage boys were stabbed near a basketball court.

They were each transported to hospital in unstable condition and later upgraded to stable. Police continue to investigate.

Lastly, on May 23, police said officers were called to a hospital where two men in their 20s were suffering from stab wounds.

Police believe the men were stabbed near a bar in the 400 block of Main Street. They were both in hospital in stable condition and declined further help from police.

Const. Jay Murray said seeing these kinds of numbers is sobering, and shows the challenges police face on a daily basis.

"These stabbings typically result in serious injuries, and our officers are often the first to arrive. They're responsible for providing emergency medical care in potentially volatile situations," said Murray, adding they must also investigate the case afterward.

"We also expect the number of stabbings to likely grow – in the past, the warmer temperatures and summer months have translated to an increased workload for us. As a result, we tend to see more violence in general and a rise in calls for service."