Help sought to identify suspect who beat man at The Forks
Winnipeg police are warning the public about a man who beat a stranger until he was unconscious at The Forks late Friday.
The attack, around 11:15 p.m., took place in the outdoor sitting area between the main market building and the Johnston Terminal.
Witnesses told police the attacker approached a 30-year-old man and hit him. He knocked him unconscious and stole an item from him.
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Police are searching for a man who randomly attacked a stranger at The Forks on June 6.
'Everything points to it being a random assault,' said Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Stephen Spencer.
The suspect ran toward the river walk, where he threw the stolen item at a woman who was walking a dog.
'It's certainly a unique incident,' said Spencer. He could not reveal what item was stolen.
The suspect was last seen near Bonnycastle Park, at Assiniboine Avenue and Garry Street.
The victim was taken to hospital in stable condition and was later released.
'This is a shocking attack no one wants to see,' said Adam Dooley, spokesman for The Forks. 'We're very happy to hear his condition has stabilized and he's been released from hospital.'
Dooley said Forks security guards had quickly arrived to give the victim first aid and call police.
'Our security are always doing patrols, so we found the victim of the attack immediately and were able to provide some first aid and comfort,' said Dooley.
The site has security guards on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, along with a network of surveillance cameras, said Dooley. He said officials at The Forks are confident in the security team and systems they have in place.
'We work very hard to make The Forks a safe and welcoming place and thankfully, incidences like this are very rare,' said Dooley.
'We're constantly upgrading and adapting to make sure we're doing the very best we possibly can to genuinely keep the site safe (and) make sure everyone feels safe as well.'
He said he hopes members of the public can help police apprehend the suspect.
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'The more we as a community can pull together to stand against this kind of violence, the better it will be for everyone,' said Dooley.
The attacker is described as Indigenous, 25 to 35 years old, with a medium to heavy build and tattoos on both arms. Police released an image of the man, who was wearing a black T-shirt, black pants, a black New York Yankees baseball cap and black shoes.
Major crimes investigators want to speak with the woman who was walking the dog.
They can be reached at 204-986-6219, or witnesses can call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477 (TIPS) or online.
erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca
Erik PinderaReporter
Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Erik.
Every piece of reporting Erik produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
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