Fresh off a weekend that saw nearly a dozen people stabbed in Winnipeg, experts warn the violence will likely continue through the summer months unless changes are made.
Bronwyn Dobchuk-Land, assistant professor of criminal justice at the University of Winnipeg, isn’t able to explain what led to the nine stabbings between Friday afternoon and Monday morning.
“At this point, you couldn’t pinpoint it,” Dobchuk-Land said.
“When we look at crime statistics, we look over the long term, not the short term like a weekend.”
Winnipeg police couldn’t offer an explanation either, but on Monday suggested the warmer weather could have led to a spike in violent crime.
Dobchuk-Land acknowledged crime tends to rise with the temperatures, but said regardless the weather, violence will continue in Winnipeg, unless major changes are made.
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She said the growing calls to defund the police should be taken seriously.
“As long as we are not investing in housing, basic community supports, resources for people to solve problems in ways of their own chosing and we’re continuing to invest in policing as the only possible response, we will see violence,” she said.
Sel Burrows, co-ordinator of community-driven crime prevention program Point Powerline, however, doesn’t agree.
“There’s lots of issues with the police, but when it comes to knives and guns they’re the only people we’ve got,” Burrows said.
Burrows believes meth is still a major driver of crime in the city, although none of the last nine knife attacks are believed to be related.
“Some of those knifings might be meth-dealing-fuelled, rather than meth-fuelled,” he said.
None of the weekend stabbings resulted in a homicide. Police said a number of victims are recovering in hospital.
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