WARNING: This story contains details some may find disturbing. Discretion is advised.
A Winnipeg man who witnessed a violent stabbing at The Forks this weekend says the incident left him embarrassed for the city, although he’s thankful the victim will pull through.
Jorge Torres told 680 CJOB’s The Start he was with his wife at the downtown meeting spot to enjoy the Canada Day festivities Friday, when they came across the victim — a Ukrainian immigrant with a knife still in his neck.
“We saw a man with his hand on his neck stepping on the road waving to people,” Torres said.
“When we came to him, he was screaming, ‘I need help, I need help.’ He had been stabbed, so we immediately pulled over.”
Torres said his wife, who speaks Ukrainian, was able to help, as the victim was with a friend who didn’t speak English. The man was rushed to hospital, where he’s now recovering.
Although police confirmed a stabbing occurred, they haven’t made any arrests in what marks the third violent incident to take place at the landmark over only five days.
Torres said now that he’s had time to process what happened, the incident has left him scared to go out in Winnipeg.
“It just shows these things that are going on here,” he said.
“This guy’s been here two weeks — he doesn’t have enemies, he’s not involved in gangs and all that here. This could’ve been anybody. It could’ve been me.”
Torres’ wife, Julya Zan, who moved to Winnipeg in 2010 from Ukraine, told Global News she went to hospital to visit the man the next day.
“It’s a miracle he was he was feeling fine. None of his organs got damaged seriously,” she said.
“Only his lungs had some blood that they were pumping out. And I talked to him last night. He will be in the hospital for the next four days, I believe, and then he will be hopefully released.”
Zan said the experience hasn’t soured her on Manitoba or Canada, but this type of news certainly makes the province a harder sell when refugees are looking for a place they can feel safe.
“Some of my family, some of my friends that are wanting to come here. I’m helping them with the process of applying to come to Canada, because we live in an amazing country that is safe,” she said.
“Seeing this experience, I don’t think it fully changed my opinion about Canada. But… I don’t even know how to explain. I’m not comfortable myself going to the Forks now, and the Forks is one of the places that I enjoy going to. That’s where you meet with people and with your friends and families.
“So I think it kind of… maybe ruins the reputation of our province quite a bit because these men, immediately, they say they don’t want to be here anymore.”
The overall crime rate in the city is rising, according to a University of Winnipeg criminologist.
Michael Weinrath told Global News there was a lull due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s on the upswing since the city opened up again.
“If we look at the recent numbers, the crime rate has been rising since about 2016, and it stabilized and then dipped a bit during the pandemic,” he said.
“Unfortunately, since the restrictions have been lifted, we’ve started to see crime go up again — and not just violent crime, property crime as well.
“Winnipeg is usually a leader in terms of violent crime. Sometimes we vie with Regina or Thunder Bay for the lead, or Edmonton for lead in homicides, but generally we’re always near the top, unfortunately, for violent crime.”
Despite a spate of young offenders making headlines in recent months in connection with violent attacks, Weinrath said youth crime is technically down in the city.
“It’s a bit of a surprise because some of our fundamental problems are drug addiction, dysfunctional families in lower-income areas…. You would think the rate of youth crime would’ve gone up, but it’s actually gone down fairly consistently.”
In a release Monday afternoon, Winnipeg police said two victims were walking near the Canadian Museum for Human Rights when they bumped into another group of people, which led to an altercation.
The victims were assaulted and the suspects took off on foot.
Anyone with information is asked to call the major crimes unit at 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).