Police alarmed by increase in gun offences after teen dies in shooting

A 17-year-old is the latest victim in a series of shootings in Winnipeg since the beginning of November which has police on high alert.

The teen died from a bullet wound to the upper body Saturday morning, police say.

He was found by officers responding to a report of gunshots at a home on Sherburn Street, near the Sargent Park area, at about 12:20 a.m. on Nov. 10. 

A 15-year-old boy was arrested and charged with manslaughter, reckless discharge of a firearm, among other offences.

"I can tell you we are seeing a very, very, very significant number of incidents involving firearms," said Const. Rob Carver on Sunday.

"Whether it's the seizure of a firearm, whether it's incidents where firearms have been reported, whether they have been used in the commission of an offence or people have actually been shot."

Earlier this month there were four shootings in a span of four days. In one incident, a 46-year-old construction worker was randomly shot in the arm on his way to work. In another, a teenager was charged with seven counts of attempted murder after a standoff with police.

"The presence of guns is a very real factor in this city and I know talking to front-line officers, they're very aware of it as well," Carver said.

The 15-year-old boy accused in Saturday's shooting was known to police, said Carver. Among the charges he faces is a probation violation.

Police believe the two teenagers knew each other and they had been hanging out that night. Carver said police do not believe the shooting was "an act of aggression."

The teen was shot with a long gun.

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