On December 5, 2024, at 9:00 a.m., North District General Patrol officers responded to a robbery at a retail business in the 2300 block of McPhillips Street. Upon arrival, officers found staff members and customers suffering from the effects of bear spray exposure. Two male suspects were arrested without incident, and officers seized a canister of bear spray and body armor worn by one of the suspects.
The investigation revealed that the two suspects, one adult and one youth, entered the store, selected a 55-inch television, and attempted to leave without paying. A 39-year-old male staff member confronted the adult suspect, who then dropped the television and physically assaulted the staff member. Additional staff and nearby customers intervened and subdued the adult suspect.
The youth suspect discharged bear spray directly into the face of a 25-year-old male staff member, affecting approximately 15 staff and customers nearby. The youth suspect attempted to retrieve the television but was subdued by intervening staff and customers. The victims suffered minor injuries that did not require medical attention. The suspects and victims were not previously known to each other.
A 16-year-old male youth from Winnipeg faces charges of robbery, possession of a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, and possessing body armor without a valid permit. He was released on an undertaking as mandated by the Criminal Code. Dominic Stanley Joseph Martins, 26, of Winnipeg, has been charged with robbery and was detained in custody.
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