An assault at the Manitoba Hydro building in Winnipeg on Friday has some members of the community questioning safety in the city’s downtown.
Police were called to the 300 block of Portage Avenue on Friday at about 5:30 p.m. after several calls reporting a suspect armed with a knife causing a disturbance in the area.
According to Winnipeg Police, the disturbance “escalated,” and a man walking through the building was knocked to the ground by the suspect.
The man was able to disarm the suspect, with several bystanders stepping in to help until police arrived. The victim was treated for minor injuries by members of the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service.
Officers arrived at 5:36 p.m. and located the suspect, who they say was unco-operative and continued to be violent. This prompted police to use a Taser to take him into custody. The knife was also seized.
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An 18-year-old man is now facing charges of possession of a weapon and assault with a weapon. He has since been released on an undertaking.
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Days later, the Manitoba Hydro building has security preventing all but employees in as the company reassess safety measures.
“So we’re going to make what changes we need to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again and that Manitoba Hydro employees and the public are safe coming here,” Peter Chura, Manitoba Hydro media relations officer.
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It’s unclear how long the building will be closed to the public or what measures will be implemented, but the incident has some business owners and community members concerned.
“I know it’s still a serious problem in our city and across the world, but I don’t see as much as I did during a period of time,” said Aimee Peake, owner of Bison Books.
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Peake says she’s seen less violence since the COVID-19 pandemic, but said incidents like the assault on Friday can shake public perception of downtown Winnipeg.
Winnipeg police’s most recent statistical report found a 1.4 per cent drop in violent crime in 2024, the first drop in four years.
Despite Friday’s incident, Peake said she’s encouraging people to support downtown businesses so they can continue to stay open.
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“Downtown is what you make it,” Peake said. “If you don’t come down here, if you don’t spend your money here, it’s going to die.”
The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ (Business Improvement Zone) was not available for an interview, but said in a statement there isn’t one solution to improving safety. The organization did call on governments to increase bail reform, provide more supports for mental health and addictions and find ways to bring more people downtown to create safe spaces.
—with files from Global News’ Vasilios Bellos
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