Winnipeg police responded to a hostage situation on Furby Street, where officers shot and killed a 52-year-old man allegedly holding a 19-year-old woman and others hostage in an apartment building. Winnipeg Police Chief Danny Smyth stated that the tactical team and crisis negotiation units managed the situation for several hours, during which a 23-year-old man escaped via a balcony, and a 33-year-old woman and a three-year-old child were either released or escaped unharmed.
Due to elevated safety concerns for the hostage, the tactical team executed a rescue operation at approximately 5:10 p.m., resulting in the police shooting the hostage-taker, who died at the scene. The Independent Investigation Unit is now investigating the shooting. The hostage, identified as a 19-year-old woman, emerged unharmed.
The police revealed that the deceased suspect had an extensive criminal record for violence and weapons offenses and was a person of interest in a homicide investigation at the same address. The homicide victim, Farah Mohamud, 34, from Delta, B.C., was reported missing on Dec. 23 and found dead on Dec. 26 on the fifth floor of the apartment building.
While the building appears to be a common link, no arrests have been made in Mohamud’s death, and the investigation is ongoing. Winnipeg police encourage anyone with information on Mohamud’s death to come forward.