13-year-old boy shot early Wednesday morning in north Winnipeg

A 13-year-old boy was taken to hospital in unstable condition early Wednesday morning after being shot in the St. John's neighbourhood in north Winnipeg, police say.

Just before 2 a.m., general patrol officers and a canine unit responded to a report that someone had been shot in the 500 block of Boyd Avenue, between McGregor and Powers streets, police said in a Thursday news release.

Officers found the gunshot victim, a 13-year-old boy, and provided emergency care. He was taken to hospital in unstable condition, but has since been upgraded to stable.

Police believe that a group in the area confronted the boy and assaulted him, including shooting him. It's not known at this time whether the victim knew the group.

The police service's major crimes unit is investigating, and anyone with information is asked to call 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477 (TIPS).

Man, 68, assaulted during robbery

Police also said Thursday that in a separate incident, officers responded to a report of an assault in the 1600 block of Main Street, in the Jefferson area, around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

A passerby saw a group of youth assaulting an older man, who was on the ground, police said.

The officers found a 68-year-old man with several injuries. He was taken to hospital in stable condition.

Police believe the attack was random, and say the man was assaulted and robbed after a 14-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man, whom the victim did not know, asked him for a cigarette.

Police found and arrested the two suspects. One was arrested without incident, but the other was "unco-operative," police say, and was shot with a Taser.

Both are charged with robbery.