Winnipeg teens arrested in violent robbery spree: WPS

Three teens from Winnipeg have been arrested following a violent robbery spree, police say.

On Thursday, at 8:40 p.m. police found a 16-year-old boy suffering from the effects of bear spray when responding to reports of a robbery in the area of St. Anne’s Road and Meadowood Drive.

Police say two other yet-to-be-identified victims were sprayed, but left the area before the officers arrived.

Officers saw three male suspects running southbound in the 600 block of St. Anne’s Road and pursued them on foot.

Police say during the arrests, one of the suspects became combative and threatened to kill officers.

Police say one of the officers used a taser and all three suspects were arrested without further incident. Officers recovered and seized a canister of bear spray and a knife as evidence.

Through their investigation, police learned the suspects were believed to be involved in an earlier reported robbery in front of a retail business in the 1200 block of St. Mary’s Avenue.

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In this incident, a 19-year-old employee was confronted and sprayed multiple times in the upper body with bear spray before the suspects stole the cash register and ran away. The victim was assessed by paramedics and medically cleared.

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Police say the suspects then went to the area of St. Anne’s Road and Meadowood Drive where they approached the 16-year-old victim and robbed him at knifepoint.

The suspects then bear-sprayed three other victims before running away and the police were called.

Police say the suspects and victims were not known to eachother.

A 14-year-old boy, a 15-year-old boy, and a 17-year-old boy have all been arrested and charged. Two of them remain in custody while one was released on an undertaking.

The investigation is continuing and anyone with information that may assist investigators is asked to call 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).