WINNIPEG — A 22-year-old man has been arrested after he was spotted on a Winnipeg Transit bus with an axe and brass knuckles.
President of the Amalgamated Transit Union in Winnipeg, John Callahan said the passenger was riding the 47 bus when he pulled the weapons near Nairn Avenue and Watt Street around 9:30 p.m.
“It’s very unnerving that something like this is happening on our buses,” Callahan said.
No passengers were injured, and Callahan said there was no threat to the bus driver. The incident adds to a growing list of concerns from the transit union, after Irvine Jubal Fraser, a bus driver, was killed on the job last month near the University of Manitoba.
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“There’s all kinds of stuff going on out there. To say the least, it’s very concerning,” said Callahan.
The man has been charged with two counts of possession of a weapon, and two counts of failure to comply with conditions of recognizance.
Last week, Callahan said a passenger threatened to stab a driver while on a city bus.
The city has requested a comprehensive report looking into current safety measures on Winnipeg Transit vehicles.
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Callahan said it could take 90 days to hear anything back. In the meantime, he said police have added mobile units overnight to increase safety on buses.
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