Woman charged after needle attack served time for similar 2018 stabbing By: Erik Pindera and Katie May Posted: 1:11 PM CDT Monday, Mar. 20, 2023 Last Modified: 6:14 PM CDT Monday, Mar. 20, 2023 Updates

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A woman who served time for a 2018 hypodermic-syringe stabbing while in the throes of a likely psychotic episode and high on methamphetamine is accused of a similar attack.

A man in his 60s was waiting in line around noon on Sunday to order food at a restaurant on the 1600 block of Regent Avenue West, when he was stabbed from behind with a syringe needle by a woman he didn’t know, Winnipeg police said Monday.

The victim then made attempts to distract the attacker, police said. The suspect, “who appeared intoxicated,” was still at the scene when officers arrived.

The Free Press has confirmed the restaurant was the Burger Factory.

Zachary Neufeld and Casey Donald were shocked when their Sunday shift at neighbouring business Fat Panda vape shop started off with three police cars pulling into the strip mall and the sounds of screaming.

“I heard the beginning of (when) the altercation went down, I heard the screams from next door,” Neufeld said Monday. “Basically, customers just explained to us that some woman came in just screaming at everyone… just getting rowdy and kind of starting stuff.”

Both employees said the area is typically quiet, especially considering its closeness to a major roadway.

“Nothing to the extreme there of stabbing someone with a needle,” Neufeld said. “It’s a little out there.”

Police spokeswoman Const. Dani McKinnon said stabbings involving a syringe aren’t “something that we see extremely often, but it does still occur.”

“This is a random, unprovoked assault. There is nothing the public can do to protect themselves. This individual was ordering a hamburger and next thing you know, he was being stabbed,” McKinnon said.

“This is a random, unprovoked assault. There is nothing the public can do to protect themselves.”–Const. Dani McKinnon

The victim sought medical attention and “precautionary measures,” because the needle broke his skin. Police weren’t able to say whether the man may have been injected with any substance.

“This scenario came completely out of nowhere and, unfortunately, I don’t think anyone could’ve been prepared for it,” McKinnon said.

Police said syringes are commonly used by people addicted to methamphetamine, but most are privately disposed of.

“I certainly don’t want the public to feel like everywhere they go, they have to turn around and see that there’s going to be somebody wielding a loaded syringe now. I mean, we’re already conditioned to be aware of some of the other issues we’re dealing with, in terms of violence and assaults that have occurred,” said McKinnon.

Jessie Kayla Genaille, 34, of Winnipeg has been charged with assault with a weapon and failing to comply with a release order. She was detained in custody.

On June 27, 2018, Genaille was arrested after a woman was stabbed with a syringe containing blood at a lingerie shop in St. Vital Centre. The victim was taken to the Health Sciences Centre and examined for blood-borne diseases as a precaution.

Genaille later pleaded guilty to three charges, including aggravated assault and theft under $5,000.

The two women were in the same area of the store at around 7 p.m., when, without warning or provocation, Genaille stabbed the victim in the arm with a hypodermic needle, Crown attorney Nancy Fazenda told a 2019 provincial court sentencing hearing.

Genaille fled the store with two pairs of $20 underwear and a bottle of $78 perfume. Court heard police arrested Genaille nearby about an hour later, with stolen goods, a blood-filled syringe and identity documents that did not belong to her.

In the 2018 case, Genaille had been released from jail just days before the incident. She had been given her medication — she was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 17 — but hadn’t refilled the prescription, court heard.

She had injected methamphetamine just before the stabbing, the Crown said.

“She seemed to be having a psychotic episode — but she also took meth right before,” Fazenda said as justification for the significant jail sentence she was seeking. “That’s a concern.”

“She (Genaille) seemed to be having a psychotic episode — but she also took meth right before… That’s a concern.”–Crown attorney Nancy Fazenda in 2019 hearing

Defence lawyer Zach Kinahan told court Genaille had been sexually abused by family members during childhood, as well as physical abuse. Her romantic relationships have also been riddled with abuse, court heard.

“When she is medicated, she’s doing well,” said Kinahan, describing the incident as tied to an interplay of substance abuse and mental health issues.

Fazenda said she had sympathy for Genaille’s tragic childhood, which was also marred by addictions beginning at age 14. “She could be described as a severe addict,” the Crown told court.

Court heard family members of Genaille, who is Métis, with connections to Pine Creek and Duck Bay, went to residential school and were affected by the 60s Scoop.

Genaille was given 23 months in jail, two years of supervised probation, a 10-year weapons prohibition and an order to hand over a DNA sample to authorities.

— with files from Malak Abas

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca