Man accused of stabbing Winnipeg cop fails to show for court, arrest warrant issued

Winnipeg police are asking for the public's assistance in finding a man who was charged with a slew of assaults and weapons offences including stabbing an officer but failed to show up for court.

Corey Clifford Whitford, 46, was scheduled to be in court on Nov. 28 for the charges that date back nearly one year to the day.

On Dec. 1, 2017, a police officerwas leaving the downtown headquarters and walking to his car when hesaw a manlooking inside the vehicle, and about to break into it.

The officeridentified himself to stop the man but was attacked. The man lunged at the officer with a knife and cut himon the arm.

When the officerbroke away from the attacker to phone colleagues for help, the man started running away. The officer gave chase while on his cellphone.

Other officers arrived and arrested the attacker a short distance away from the police HQ. During thearrest, the manassaulted another one of the officers, who wasnotinjured.

Meanwhile, the stabbed officerwas treated in hospital and released.

Whitford was charged with assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, escaping lawful custodyand failing to comply with conditions of prior court orders.

An arrest warrant has been issued afterWhitford'sfailure to show up at court this past week.

He is described as five foot eight and208 pounds, with a heavy build, brown hair or possibly a shaved head, and brown eyes.

Anyone with information for investigators is asked to contact 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).