Mike on Crime

By Kevin Rollason
Winnipeg Free Press

A 34-year-old man was shot to death in a hail of bullets outside a Pembina Highway hotel early this morning.

The shooting took place on the Fort Rouge patio bar at the Quality Inn and Suites at 635 Pembina Hwy., shortly after 2 a.m.

Winnipeg police say the victim had no gang association, but there may have been gang members around.

“At this point, investigators believe it was likely not random, but it is yet to be determined if he was the target,” police spokeswoman Const. Jacqueline Chaput said.

Chaput said it appears the shots were fired by a passing small car.

While Winnipeg police officers continued to interview witnesses at the downtown Public Safety Building, identification officers at the scene gathered evidence.

A large pool of blood, mixed with shattered glass from the patio enclosure, was at the corner of the patio, near Carter Avenue and Arbuthnot Street.

Two distinct bullet holes could be seen shot through the windows of the hotel’s lounge, called WinnCity Pub, while another bullet entry point could be seen above the window in the stucco.

Chaput said the man was hit by “a number of gunshot wounds”. The man was rushed to hospital in critical condition where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Chaput said no other patrons were injured during the incident. No arrests have been made.

A sign on the doors to the lounge said it was closed. The hotel itself was still open with some guests looking through windows above the scene.

Police tape roped off a portion of Arbuthnot and Carter streets.

Neighbours expressed shock at the violent shooting in their neighbourhood.

Robert McInnes said he and his wife were suddenly awakened when four shots rang out.

“We jumped out of bed and went to the window,” McInnes said.

“We saw them working on a person. They were giving him CPR. Two people were hunched down with him.”

McInnes said the hotel’s manager has been upgrading the business during the last year and the patio was an addition last summer.

“The manager was quite worried and talked to the immediate neighbours assuring us it would be a quiet place with no loud music. We said it was OK with us.

“But now I’ll be talking to the manager.”

Police would not say why they directed a towing company to tow an Oldsmobile Aurora parked on Carter.

Anyone with information about the homicide is being asked to call police at 986-6508 or Crime Stoppers at 786-TIPS (8477).