Winnipeg – NEWS – While most people took time off on Canada Day weekend, Police and first responders don’t get that luxury, either it seems do some people whose goal is crime.
Here is an overview from the weekend from the Winnipeg Police Service:
Sexual Assault – Arrest: C24-123929
Update:
On July 1, 2024, at approximately 6:30 p.m., police arrested a male for a previous sexual assault incident that occurred at a playground in the 400 block of Flora Avenue on June 1.
General Patrol officers from the North District responded for the report of a suspicious male asking to take a picture of a child at a park in the 500 block of King Street. A concerned adult followed the male and provided a description to police. The child was not harmed.
The keen officers believed this male was related to the previously reported sexual assault on Flora. They located him at a residence in the 100 block of Jarvis Avenue, and he was taken into custody and turned over to the Child Abuse Unit.
Albert KEMA (23), of Winnipeg, was charged with Sexual Assault and Sexual Interference (for the June 1st incident) and detained in custody.
The Winnipeg Police Service would like to thank the community for their assistance in this ongoing investigation. Investigators in the Child Abuse Unit received numerous tips regarding the June 1 incident.
Previously Released:
The Winnipeg Child Abuse Unit is investigating the assault of an elementary school child that occurred after hours at a school playground in the 400 block of Flora Avenue.
On June 1 at approximately 5:15 p.m., the victim and another child were at the playground when an unknown male approached them. He began by making sexually explicit comments, then grabbed one of the children and touched her in a sexual manner.
The child broke free, and both children ran home and reported the incident to an adult who contacted police. Neither of the children required medical attention.
- The suspect is described as a Black male in his 20s with dreadlocks.
Police notified the school and understand that the school will be following up with correspondence to parents/caregivers regarding student awareness and safety planning will follow.
Anyone with any information about this person’s identity or whereabouts or if you have home surveillance is asked to contact the Child Abuse Unit at 204-986-3296 or anonymously at Crime Stoppers 204-786-TIPS or winnipegcrimestoppers.org
Support resources include WPS Victim Services at 204-986-6350 and the Klinic Sexual Assault Crisis Line at 204-786-8631.
Assault With a Weapon – Arrest: C24-146582
On June 26, 2024, at approximately 10:26 a.m., the Winnipeg Police Service responded to the 400 block of Main Street for the report of a male who had been assaulted in a business parking lot. Responding officers took over custody of an adult male suspect held by intervening businessstaff and arrested him without incident.
In the following days, police received additional reports of similar unprovoked assaults in the city’s Exchange District. Three adult females had been reportedly physically attacked in separate incidents between 10:15 and 10:25 a.m., moments before the Main Street incident. Investigative officers determined the following sequence of incidents:
- 200 block of Bannatyne Avenue: The suspect threw a metal chair, striking a 68-year-old female victim in the lower body. The suspect fled on foot.
- 200 block of McDermot Avenue: The suspect pushed an elderly female using a mobility walker to the ground and began physically assaulting her in the upper body with a purse he was carrying. A local business owner and Good Samaritan intervened and successfully stopped the assault.
- 200 block of McDermot Avenue: The suspect physically assaulted a 38-year-old female victim who had also intervened in the assault, as mentioned above, before fleeing on foot.
- 400 block of Main Street: The suspect attended to a surface parking lot of a business where she opened the driver-side door of an occupied parked vehicle and kicked the 40-year-old male victim in the lower body. Staff from the business intervened and held him down until police arrived.
Officers linked the suspect to all four incidents through their investigation and obtained an unendorsed warrant for Assault and Assault with Weapon charges for his arrest.
On June 30, at approximately 10:45 a.m., patrolling Central District officers located the suspect in the Central Park area and arrested him without incident.
The suspect and the victims were unknown to one another before these incidents. The victims suffered minor injuries for which they did not require medical assistance.
Brendan Jordan Lee WHITE, of Winnipeg, is charged with one count of Assault and three counts of Assault with a Weapon.
He was detained in custody.
Commercial Break & Enter – Arrest: C24-150442
On July 2, at approximately 12:13 a.m., West District officers of the Winnipeg Police Service responded to a business in the 1100 block of Notre Dame for the report of a Commercial Break & Enter in progress.
Officers quickly attended and learned from employees present that the male suspect had unsuccessfully attempted to gain entry to the front and rear doors of the business using a screwdriver before fleeing on foot. Officers searched the area for the suspect male based on the description provided by the employees. They quickly located the suspect in the 1100 block of Garfield Street North and arrested him without incident.
Officers seized a quantity of property in his possession, some of which was determined stolen from a vehicle/equipment rental business in the 1200 block of Notre Dame at approximately 8:25 p.m. on July 1. The seized property included the following:
- Scanning Equipment
- Ewheels EW-18 Electric Scooter
- Various batteries
- Storage Locker locks x 2
- Various keys
- Screwdriver
A 46-year-old male of Winnipeg faces Break Enter & Theft (Place), Possession of Break-In Instrument(s), and Mischief Under $5,000 charges.
He was detained in custody.
Fatal Train Incident: C24-149834
On July 1, at approximately 3:54 a.m., the Winnipeg Police Service responded to the Union Station for the report of a person struck by a train near the 200 block of Stradbrook Avenue.
Emergency personnel attended with Central District officers and were directed by rail crews to the 38-year-old female who had suffered fatal injuries. The initial investigation indicates that she had disembarked a passenger train when struck by a freight train being operated in the opposite direction. The conductor of the freight train remained on scene and spoke with investigators.
The deceased has been identified, and notifications have been made.
The incident is deemed accidental, and no arrests are anticipated.
