Manitoba

Boy, 13, arrested after series of assaults in Winnipeg's West End and downtown

A 13-year-old boy is charged in connection with a number of attacks with bear spray and a weapon in the West End and downtown Winnipeg last month.

Attacks started around 7:30 a.m. Feb. 19 and continued until just before 1 p.m.

Officers walk in the winter.
Winnipeg police officers search the West Broadway area last month after a series of machete and pepper spray attacks. (Brittany Greenslade/CBC)

A 13-year-old boy is charged in connection with a number of attacks with bear spray and a weapon in the West End and downtown Winnipeg last month.

The boy, who has eluded investigators since the incidents on Feb. 19, turned himself in on Wednesday, police said in a news release on Thursday.

He is charged with three counts of assault with a weapon, assault, robbery, carrying a concealed weapon or prohibited device, and four counts of possessing a weapon.

During the attacks, which started around 7:30 a.m. and continued until just before 1 p.m., four people were assaulted with bear spray and two others were chased with weapons.

At the time, police said there were two attackers involved in all incidents. They were described as men around 20 years old, and the public was warned that they were considered armed and dangerous.

A map of attack locations.
A map shows the locations of the incidents. (Duk Han Lee/CBC)

Officers from multiple units — including foot patrol, tactical support and major crimes — tried to find the two men but failed.

Through their investigation in the weeks after, police said they were able to identify a suspect but could not locate him. That was the boy arrested on Wednesday.

He has since been released from custody, police said in a news release.

The major crimes unit continues to investigate and anyone with information is asked to call 204-986-6219 or to leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).