2 men arrested after string of firearm-related incidents, police pursuit in Winnipeg

Winnipeg police say they have arrested two men after a string of firearm-related incidents and a police pursuit into East St. Paul and back to the city on Saturday.

At 1 a.m. police say a man in his 20s was robbed by two suspects at a beer vendor in the 1000 block of McPhillips Street.

The man was physically assaulted and a gun was pointed at him. Police say the trigger was pulled but the gun did not fire.

The two suspects fled in a vehicle before police were contacted.

Much later at 1:30 p.m., police say the suspects were driving in the Mynarski neighbourhood when they shot out the windshield of a parked vehicle and again fled before police were notified.

At 3 p.m., the suspect vehicle was seen driving in the area of Mountain Avenue and Arlington Street. Police in the area spotted the vehicle and it took off at a high speed and collided with a vehicle driving near Main Street and Chief Peguis.

Police say the crash caused significant damage to the other vehicle and the suspect vehicle continued to escape while driving on only three wheels.

The suspects then entered the R.M. of East St. Paul and abandoned the vehicle. They ran on foot and disposed of two firearms in a retention pond, which police say they later recovered.

Police say once in East St. Paul, the suspects stole a vehicle parked at a home and drove away, continuing to evade officers.

The suspects arrived back in Winnipeg near Main Street and Hartford Avenue and collided with a parked pick-up truck, rendering both vehicles undrivable.

Police say in the first 100 block of Semple Avenue, the suspects attempted to rob a driver of his keys but they were unsuccessful and ran away. Police found and apprehended the two men in the first block of Smithfield.

Two men, 22 and 24, have been arrested, charged and detained in custody.