WINNIPEG — Police have made arrests in the deadly nightclub shooting Sunday that also sparked an internal police probe into how the matter was handled.
Marcus Richard, 21, was arrested at about 7 a.m. Thursday on a Via Rail train in Sudbury, Ont., after Winnipeg police issued a warrant for his arrest. He faces charges of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and aggravated assault.
“That individual was responsible for firing the shots at the crowd,” Sgt. Natalie Aitken told reporters Friday.
Rustom Paclipan, 23, was shot and killed outside Opera Ultralounge on Main Street Sunday morning just after 2 a.m. Two other men, aged 18 and 24, were wounded in the gunfire.
A 16-year-old Winnipeg boy was arrested at about 6 p.m. Tuesday near Simcoe Street and Notre Dame Avenue and charged with manslaughter, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, carrying a concealed weapon, unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle and possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition. Aitken said although the gun was in a vehicle at one point, police believe the shooting was done on the sidewalk.
Aitken shed a little more light on what happened early Sunday morning, noting “that firearm was never within that nightclub.” Police have characterized the violence as gang-related, but noted Thursday that the victim, Rustom Paclipan, was not “known to police” but was an acquaintance of someone in a particular group that was in conflict with a group that included the two suspects who “may have associations with local criminal street gangs,” Aitken said.
Winnipeg police Chief Devon Clunis announced Tuesday that an internal investigation had been launched into why a 911 call warning police of a fight brewing outside the club was cancelled, just minutes before the shooting.
A source also told Global News that a woman flagged down a police officer near the club to report seeing a man with a handgun minutes before the shooting, but the officer didn’t see any obvious trouble and moved on without investigating further.
Global News also learned Wednesday that officers were right around the corner from Opera Ultralounge investigating an assault complaint at Union Sound Hall minutes before the shooting.
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