Winnipeg’s top cop believes Sunday’s brutal and random home invasion that killed a Winnipeg teen may have been meth-fuelled.
Police chief Danny Smyth updated media on the investigation at a community meeting Friday night at Maples Collegiate.
“Our early indications from our investigators is that he may have been using meth beforehand,” Smyth said. “We don’t know that for certain yet and certainly once we get an opportunity to interview, we’re hoping that we’ll be able to clarify that.”
The chief won’t say why investigators believe the intruder was high on meth, but said he felt it was necessary to share the suspicion to help the community come to terms with the brutal killing.
“You can’t make sense of it otherwise,” he said.
17-year-old Jaime Adao Jr. was home with his grandmother when a 29-year-old man broke in and began attacking him.
When police arrived, they shot the intruder several times to stop the attack.
Smyth said the suspect remains in hospital in critical condition, but believes there is a good chance he will survive and be charged.
“We haven’t even had an opportunity to speak with him yet,” Smyth said.
Smyth said it’s normal for people to feel uneasy after the random home invasion, but urges the community to remain calm.
“By and large we have a good community,” Smyth said.
“I know that because I look around and we have good people here, most of the people in our community are good.”
Call for change
Adao’s parents, Jaime Sr., and Imelda were on hand at Friday’s meeting and pleaded for change.
“Please, let’s unite, let’s do something to stop this senseless fighting,” said Imelda.
“This is very hard for us, but we have to face the reality that our son is in a better place now.”
The parents were at Friday’s roundtable discussion, which brought police officers, politicians, and community members together to talk about safety in the community.
“We need justice for my son,” said Jaime Sr. “Not only for my son, but for everybody.”
The parents still have very little information on the attack, but say Jaime Jr.’s grandmother is still dealing with trauma from the incident. Imelda says the only thing the grandmother saw was Jaime Jr. lying bloody and unresponsive on the ground.
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