A mother and her 16-year-old daughter were stabbed and robbed during an argument on a Winnipeg Transit bus Monday evening, the second attack involving passengers in less than a week.
Police said the 40-year-old woman and her daughter were cut with a knife during an unprovoked argument with three females, who stole some of the victims’ belongings.
The stabbing happened shortly after 6 p.m., while the bus was headed west on Portage Avenue, toward Valour Road, in the city’s West End.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS FILES
A mother and her 16-year-old daughter were stabbed and robbed during an argument on a Winnipeg Transit bus Monday evening.
“From what I understand, it was possible that the suspects believed the victims had said something to them,” said Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Steve Spencer.
”It really appears (the suspects) were looking for something to have a problem with. There is no indication the victims did anything to provoke it.”
The suspects fled before officers arrived at Portage and Valour. The victims have since been released from hospital.
Police described the first suspect as an Indigenous woman who is in her late 20s and about 5-1 in height, with a medium build. She was wearing glasses.
The second and third females were youths who were dressed in dark clothing.
Transit users who spoke to the Free Press at Portage and Valour on Thursday had varying feelings toward safety on buses.
“It depends on the location. Downtown, I feel it’s not 100 per cent safe,” said Justin Chikwe.
Passenger Nathan Alexander said he feels safe during his commute through downtown and the West End.
“In this day and age, I think we’re almost becoming used to the fact these things happen on a daily basis,” he said of Monday’s stabbing. “People want to be safe when they’re riding to work or from location to location.”
Sam Bell, who works near Portage and Valour, described the stabbing as “nerve-racking” as a Transit user.
“I just keep to myself and stay aware of my surroundings,” she said.
In the earlier incident, a 36-year-old man was injured in a stabbing that was sparked by an argument on a bus.
Police said the victim was assaulted on the bus, and then stabbed when the altercation spilled onto St. Mary’s Road, near Vivian Avenue, on Oct. 4. The suspects fled.
Spencer said there has been a decrease in incidents on buses recently.
Winnipeg’s community safety team, whose officers are tasked with patrolling the Transit network, has helped to curb incidents, he said.
Team lead Bob Chrismas said officers have had success trying to “move the needle” on Transit safety since they started in February.
The team reported nearly 1,720 incidents or activities between Feb. 20 and Sept. 30, with almost three-quarters involving well-being checks, city data showed.
Chrismas said officers, who have advanced first aid training and carry naloxone, a medication used to temporarily reverse an overdose from opioids such as fentanyl, have saved lives.
Officers have so far dealt with 154 disputes or disturbances, and 36 assaults or threats.
“A large number of these would escalate if we hadn’t intervened,” said Chrismas.
The team has been especially visible in downtown areas, including the Graham Avenue Transit Mall.
Chrismas said officers adjusted their strategy to focus on “troubled” bus stops — boarding the buses that stop there — in areas such as the North End and East Kildonan, after initially focusing on specific bus routes.
The former Winnipeg police officer said the team is also trying to get out to the suburbs more.
The team has 21 officers and two supervisors. It is responsible for overseeing about 500 buses at rush hour.
“We’re a fairly small team for a large, massive system,” said Chrismas. “I’m hoping if and when the city is able to, they will (expand).”
City data showed a downward trend in assaults against drivers this year. City spokesman Adam Campbell said 59 assaults (based on Criminal Code definitions) were reported as of Sept. 26.
The city reported 117 assaults in 2023 and 104 in 2022.
The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505, which represents bus drivers, reported 167 security incidents so far in 2024, including assaults, threats, thefts, property damage and other disturbances.
The union reported 257 security incidents in 2023 and 130 in 2022.
ATU Local 1505 wants Winnipeg Transit and government officials to take security measures a step further with fully-enclosed operator shields, an expansion of the community safety team or a dedicated Transit police force, and the use of artificial intelligence to detect weapons and alert authorities when carried onto a bus.
“Violence in the workplace is unacceptable, and it’s disappointing that our concerns not being adequately addressed,” union president Chris Scott said in a news release.
Winnipeg Transit is “always open” to exploring new safety options, said Campbell.
chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca
Chris Kitching
Reporter
Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris.
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