A group of young teens are set to appear in court after a series of serious incidents, including sending people to the hospital.

Police say the morning hours of Sunday saw a string of violent incidents, believed to have been done by teen boys, in the area of William Avenue and Sherbrook Street. They say in half of these incidents nearby strangers helped protect the victims and in those cases, the victims walked away uninjured.

Police say the first incident occurred at 7:15 a.m. between Elgin Avenue and William Avenue near Tecumseh Street as the first victim was walking to work. The Winnipeg Police Service says the man was approached by three teen boys who were threatening to shoot him. When the victim said he had no money and walked away, the group shoved him as he walked past, knocking the victim to the group. They then stole his sunglasses.

Officers quickly responded, finding the sunglasses but no suspects nearby. The victim required hospital care and was later met in the facility by WPS officers.

Less than an hour later near Tecumseh Street and Ross Avenue, the same officers from the first call responded to a call about an assault. The victim, a man in his 30s, told officers he was approached by three teenage boys who demanded money and his duffle bag. The victim, also saying he had no money, was thrown to the ground and assaulted while down and received head and upper-body injuries. Officers found the victim's bag nearby but not the suspects. Police would later learn this was the final assault in a string of four incidents in the same hour.

Officers later learnt that at 7:45  in the 600 block of Ross Avenue, a woman in her 60s was finishing work and walking to her car. The group confronted her and a teen threatened to shoot her for walking. He then made a sexually suggestive comment to the senior. A nearby man witnessed this and drove the senior to her car, where the teens followed and threw things at the man's truck.

At the same time in the 700 block of Sherbrook. a man in his 30s was leaving a drug store and approached by the teens, Following the man, the teens demanded money or his backpack. The victim said no, running away as the teens threatened to stab him. Running to a nearby residence where a stranged let the victim in, they locked the door behind him. The teens followed. One of the adolescents threw a rock, smashing the front window causing approximately $3,000 damage before fleeing.

Hours later at 11:15 a.m. WPS found the group in a parking lot in the 600 block of Notre Dame Avenue.

The 12, 13, and 14-year-old are all facing charges including:

  • Robbery x 3
  • Assault with Weapon
  • Break & Enter & Commit Robbery
  • Assault with Weapon
  • Mischief Under $5,000

 

The teen trio is also accused of Possess Weapon.

They all were released on an Undertaking. They will appear in court in June.