2 teens shot in Winnipeg St. James area, 1 still in unstable condition
Police were at Airport Motor Inn but would not confirm shooting happened there
Two teens were sent to hospital after being shot in Winnipeg's St. James area on Tuesday afternoon, police say.
Officers responded to reports of shots fired on Ellice Avenue, between Berry Street and Ferry Road, shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday, police said in a Wednesday afternoon news release.
A 16-year-old boy and 18-year-old man were found suffering from gunshot wounds, police say. They were taken to hospital in unstable condition.
One of the teens remains in unstable condition as he awaits surgery, but police say the other has since been upgraded to stable condition.
Both have injuries that are considered non-life-threatening, police say.
On Tuesday, officers and investigators were seen going in and out of the Airport Motor Inn, at the corner of Ellice Avenue and Berry Street, with police tape stretched across the road at one end of the hotel.
On Wednesday morning, a police spokesperson would not confirm if that's where the shooting occurred, and police have only said that it was the 1800 block of Ellice. The address of the Airport Motor Inn is 1800 Ellice.
Police also wouldn't say if the shooting happened inside or outside of the hotel.
Thousands of people have been displaced from northern Manitoba due to wildfires, with many housed in hotels around Winnipeg, particularly around the airport.
In its news release, the police service said it recognizes the importance of safety in and around wildfire evacuation centres and temporary residences.
Winnipeg police have previously said they are deploying extra officers to visit the shelters and hotels where evacuees are staying after concerns were raised by First Nations organizations about safety.
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, the organization that represents 26 northern Manitoba First Nations, said in a statement last week it is deeply concerned about reports of drug trafficking in areas where evacuees are staying.
Two men were recently charged with trafficking cocaine outside airport-area hotels.
Winnipeg police are asking anyone who believes they may have seen Tuesday's shooting, or who has video from the area, to contact investigators at 204-986-6219, or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477 (TIPS) or online.
With files from Alana Cole