Fatal shooting outside West End school ‘may not have been random’: police

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This article was published 16/06/2019 (1773 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg’s embattled homicide investigators are working their 23rd case of the year, after a male was shot to death outside a West End elementary school Monday, just hours before children were set to arrive for class.

Less than six months into 2019, the city has already recorded more homicides than all of last year (Winnipeg’s 22nd and final slaying of 2018 took place Dec. 17). Nine of the 23 killings have been the result of gun violence.

The Winnipeg Police Service responded to the scene at 525 Agnes St. — outside John M. King School — just before 6 a.m., after receiving reports of shots fired. Officers discovered a male suffering from at least one gunshot wound.

The victim — who police said they have identified, but whose name and age they haven’t released to the public — was taken to hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead.

“This morning, the first call comes out. General patrol officers from central district are first on the scene. They ask for backup almost immediately, because it’s apparent they’ve got a shooting. We need the area secure,” WPS spokesman Const. Rob Carver told reporters.

“Early indications are, and this is very preliminary, this may not have been random.”

A backpack, duffle bag and baseball cap could be seen discarded on the ground out front of the school — alongside some other personal items — in the area sectioned off with yellow crime scene tape.

Plainclothes detectives and uniformed officers were seen door-knocking in the neighbourhood. Crime scene tape crisscrossed between Ellice and Sargent avenues, tied to trees, fences and playground equipment at the school.

Carol Cowley, who’s lived in the neighbourhood for two years and whose granddaughter goes to John M. King, said the Daniel McIntyre area has been hit hard by the meth crisis.

“There’s that one house down here, the grey one, all beat up, there’s always something going on. It’s like gang activity. They always harass my daughter when she walks by there,” Cowley told the Free Press.

“Now, I’m worried. It’s so close in the neighbourhood. There’s all kinds of stuff that happens here. That’s why I never go out after dark and I don’t let my grandkids come play alone at the school anymore — because of the meth, it’s all around.”

No arrests had been made and police declined comment when asked if a suspect had been identified.

Carver said police do not believe there’s a significant, ongoing threat posed to the community in connection with the slaying. When asked if investigators believe the incident was gang-related, Carver said it was too early to say.

“Threats come in different levels. I’m not going to stand up here and say there isn’t a threat to the community. We’ve had somebody shot in the community and killed. But we don’t think that threat is currently at a high level,” he said.

Monday’s shooting marks the sixth active homicide case detectives have on their plate; arrests have been made in the other 17.

In total, Carver said there were roughly three dozen WPS officers working the case Monday, a number which could rise or fall depending on where the investigation takes them.

“Other homicide investigations, I know, were looking at leads in the past number of weeks. Those are all things that have to be pursued and pursued right away. It’s a delicate balance in terms of what has to be done immediately and what can be put off until tomorrow,” Carver said.

“Everyone knows the 48-hour rule. It’s not entirely accurate, but it’s not a myth either. We’ve got to get everything we can as soon as we can, so while it’s fresh, we’re working.”

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @rk_thorpe