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Rural Manitoba church shaken by vandalism

Click to play video: 'Rural Manitoba church shaken by vandalism'
Rural Manitoba church shaken by vandalism
WATCH: Members of a small town church just outside Winnipeg are cleaning up after vandals tore through their sanctuary early Sunday – May 27, 2019

Residents of a quiet community west of Winnipeg are struggling to understand an act of senseless violence over the weekend.

Parishioners at St. Francois Xavier Roman Catholic Church arrived Sunday morning to find their sanctuary had been vandalized.

Headingley RCMP received a report of a break and enter at 8 a.m. May 26. The suspect(s) smashed statues and discharged a fire extinguisher.

WATCH: Sanctuary invaded by vandals, the clean up begins

Click to play video: 'Place of worship becomes a crime scene'
Place of worship becomes a crime scene

Police are asking anyone who may have seen anything to contact the local detachment (204) 888-0358, call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or submit a secure tip online.

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The church is one of three in the rural municipality just outside Winnipeg off Highway 1 West.

It is the second act of vandalism to happen at a church in and around Winnipeg in less than a week.

The head of a statue at the Sts. Vladimir and Olga Cathedral on McGregor Street was removed during the early hours of May 22.

The missing piece was later found in a duffel bag and returned to the church.

WATCH: Ukrainian community rallies after statue vandalized

Click to play video: 'Ukrainian community rallies after statue vandalized'
Ukrainian community rallies after statue vandalized

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