Standoff near northwest Winnipeg school ends after suspects surrender, officers enter home

A 12-hour standoff with Winnipeg police near Shaughnessy Park School came to an end without any injuries after several suspects surrendered and police entered the house late Friday afternoon.

Police had been negotiating with at least one person inside the home on Chudley Street, south of Tyndall Avenue, after five other people surrendered earlier Friday.

Three people surrendered to police around 3:30 p.m. CT after police threw canisters of pepper spray through a window.Two more people surrendered about an hour later, after police threw more pepper spray canistersthrough a window.

Officers were continuing negotiationswith at least one person inside the home when a team wearing tactical gear and carrying long guns entered.

Just before 5 p.m., police announced the standoff was over.

Winnipeg police spokesperson Const. Rob Carver said several of the 13 people inside the house were in their early to mid-teens. He couldn't say what led to the standoff, but he said some of the people likely facing charges are known to police.

"There were some precursor events that were unfolding late last night, early this morning, and we hopefully will be able to put everything together and explain it in the near future," he told reporters Friday, after the standoff ended.

Police believed there were weapons in the house, which is why the standoff went on so long, Carver said.

"Our policy is to use time to our advantage we did. We don't want to go rushing in where there's a risk that we might have to use lethal force. The takeaway was no one was hurt today."

Armed and barricaded

Winnipeg police flooded into thearea near Shaughnessy Park School Friday morningin response to what they said wasan "armed and barricaded" person in a home.Initial reports suggested there were several people inside the house, including a child, and a firearm was possibly discharged.

After arrivingat the residenceonChudley Streetat around 4:20 a.m., police asked people to avoid the area and advised those living nearby to stay indoors.

When police arrived, they immediately found two males outside the house and took them into custody. They tried calling the people inside the house and used a loudspeaker in an effort to get them to come outside, with no success.

There were 25 police units, including the armoured vehicle response unit, at the scene.

Carver said police were originally called to check on thewell-being of somebody in the home, but the situation become more serious.

"We have an individual in a residence we believe is armed. We have a significant number of units out here to make sure everyone is safe," Carver said at a news conference held near the scene around 11 a.m.

"We're taking every precaution we can to make sure everyone is safe, not only people in the neighbourhood, but our officers and the people inside the house.

"We'll use all the time we can to resolve this as peacefully as possible."

The tactical support team tookthe lead in the incident, and the Winnipeg Police Service negotiation team was there, Carver said.

House known to police

Police have been to the home often, a neighbour said, and Carver confirmed the house is "known to police."

Patricia Cooksaid she seespolice at the home nearly once a week.

Cook told CBC Newsshe watched roughly five people come out of the home earlier in the morningafter police used a loudspeaker to communicate withthose inside.

"They finally came out with their hands up and surrendered to the SWAT team," she said, adding there werestill more people inside the home.

"There's still a whole slew of them in that house."

School officials said nearby Shaughnessy Park School hadbeen in a hold and secure situation meaning classes are happening but no one can leave or enter the school throughout the day.

At the end of the school day, police officers located around the neighbourhood escorted students out of the school.

Carver confirmedsome people had been removed from the home earlier in the morning, but couldn't say exactly how many people had been taken out.

"I can tell you it's more than a few," he said.

Carver acknowledged the situation may be frightening for neighbours.

"I thinkright now, this morning, if I lived in this area, I'd be concerned. I think that's a reasonable reaction you've got 25 police units out here or so with long guns out," he said.

"It would reasonably make anyone uncomfortable."

Police standoff on Chudley Street

6 years ago

Duration 2:06

A standoff that lasted more than 12 hours ended Friday afternoon when police tactical unit members entered a Gilbert Park residence.

With files from Marianne Klowak