On September 9, 2017, between the hours of 4:30am and 5:35am, Oakbank and Beausejour RCMP responded to three reports of a firearm being discharged in the local area, with two new reports coming in after the fact.
The first incident was reported at 4:30am in the East Beach parking lot at Birds Hill Provincial Park. A witness saw a dark coloured pickup truck slowly pulling into the parking lot where it then made a u-turn, exited the parking lot and firing a gun at a parked vehicle in the process. The vehicle was struck and damaged.
Shortly afterwards, three more incidents occurred in the RM of Brokenhead. The first reported incident was at a rural location west of Beausejour where the main bay window of a home was shot at and damaged at 5:20am. The last two incidents occurred within a few minutes of each other at approximately 5:35 am at two separate residences in the Garson area. The first report saw an upper level bedroom window receiving damage from two shots. Approximately one hour later, another report in the same area was received as a Garson resident woke up to find bullet holes in two windows. The two Garson incidents are located in the same residential area and are believed to have both occurred at the same time.
Later that day, another report was made from a location in the RM of Brokenhead where the suspect vehicle was caught on surveillance video while firing three shots at the property in the early morning hours of September 9th. No injuries were reported in any of these incidents, however there is significant property damage at each location. More than one firearm is believed to have been used in the incidents.
“These are very serious incidents and our investigators are working hard to identify the suspects,” said Sgt. Paul Manaigre of the Manitoba RCMP. “We ask that anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the Birds Hill Park, RM of Brokenhead or Garson areas in the early morning hours of September 9th to contact the Oakbank or Beausejour RCMP immediately.”
The most recent description of the vehicle is a newer model, dark-coloured, four-door GMC or Chevrolet pick-up truck.
The RCMP’s Major Crimes Unit, along with Oakbank and Beausejour RCMP are continuing the investigation.