Shooting victim ‘meek, non-violent’

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This article was published 13/12/2017 (2325 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The 25-year-old man shot by police in his North End home Tuesday morning was described as around 5-6, “meek and mild” and “totally non-violent.”

That characterization came from an individual who’s known the man for a number of years and saw him on a regular basis. The Free Press has agreed not to name the individual.

“I’ve never seen any signs of aggression or violence in him at all. It’s just not in his character. He’s, what, 5-6, maybe 5-7, 130 pounds. I don’t know how he could have threatened the police — especially enough for them to shoot him,” the person said.

“I just can’t believe it. He’s just a meek and mild guy. He’s a young guy, totally non-violent. I was totally shocked when I heard this.”

According to this person, who has knowledge of the situation, someone who lives near the man’s home called his landlord to make a noise complaint around 45 minutes before police arrived at 12:15 a.m.

The person making the noise complaint said the man who was later shot was being too loud while they were trying to sleep, adding they thought he was intoxicated. The 25-year-old was made aware of the complaint and said he’d keep it down.

It’s still not known what happened from 11:30 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. that resulted in police being dispatched to the four-plex on the 400 block of Charles Street.

Upon arrival, police knocked on the door to the main entrance of the multi-unit home. Four officers were reportedly let into the home by another tenant. A witness described hearing police bang on the man’s door.

It is unknown whether the shooting victim let police into his suite, or if officers broke down the door.

What is known is “five, maybe 10 minutes” after they arrived, a gunshot rang out and the man was rushed to hospital.

As of Wednesday night, he remained in critical condition.

Conflicting stories have circled throughout the neighbourhood since the incident, with some residents saying the man was brandishing a knife when he was shot.

“I just don’t understand why they would have to shoot him. They have Tasers. Why not use a Taser? This kid’s life is basically ruined now, and I want to know why that had to happen,” said the person who’s known the man for years.

Police said the man confronted officers and was shot. The Independent Investigations Unit, the province’s police watchdog, is investigating.

It remains unclear who called police or whether the man was armed.

Lisa Chartrand, who lives in an apartment across the street, said she and her boyfriend woke up to the flashing lights of police vehicles on Tuesday morning.

“We looked outside and there were like 10 cop cars. I had full view from my window. All of a sudden, we saw someone come out on a stretcher, and he had an oxygen mask on. It was scary to see. I’m glad my children were in bed sleeping,” Chartrand said.

She said in the four years she’s lived on the block, she’s never heard of an issue with any tenant of the four-plex where the shooting took place. She estimated there were between seven and eight police vehicles on the block and 15 to 20 officers as she watched the scene from her bedroom window.

At a news conference Tuesday, Const. Rob Carver said he was unable to discuss the details surrounding the shooting because it was under investigation by the provincial watchdog. However, he did make general comments about police use of lethal force.

“Our officers are trained to use lethal force any time their lives or anyone else’s lives are at risk,” he said. He added that a weapon doesn’t need to be present for police to feel their lives — or those of others — are at risk.

While police maintained a presence at the home Tuesday, by noon Wednesday, officers were gone and the crime scene tape had been removed.

Tuesday’s incident is the fifth police-involved shooting in Winnipeg this year. Two of the five have been fatal.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca