Assault Peace Officers – Arrests: C22-65918

On March 31, 2022, at approximately noon, an off-duty Winnipeg Police officer was shopping at Unicity Mall when he saw a store employee chasing a male holding several pieces of merchandise fleeing the store. The officer followed outside and saw what were now three males carrying merchandise. He identified himself as a police officer and directed them to return to the store. Suspect #3 (S3) told suspect #1 ‘spray him,’ when S1 produced a can of bear spray and pointed it at the officer (O1).

As the three suspects left toward a transit bus, a second male approached O1 and identified himself as a second off-duty officer (O2) and offered assistance. The suspects boarded the transit bus, and the officers called for on-duty officers to assist.

The off-duty officers approached the transit bus and again identified themselves as police officers. All three suspects got off the bus and confronted the O1 and O2. S2 then charged at the officers while S1 discharged bear spray as they fled.

The officers were able to grab S1, who was told he was under arrest, however, he fired bear spray directly into the face of O1, temporarily blinding him. All three fell to the ground as S1continued to resist and discharged bear spray.

While attempting to gain compliance of S1, S2 ran back and began assaulting the officers and throwing rocks at them. Responding General Patrol officers were able to arrest both S1 and S2 safely. Additional uniform officers arrested S3 a short distance away. O1 and O2 were put through decontamination procedures but were not otherwise injured. Bear spray and stolen merchandise were recovered.

All three suspects were arrested and have been charged with the following offences:

Rene Jordan BLACK, 23, Suspect #1
- Robbery
- Assault with Weapon x 2
- Assault Peace Officer x 2
- Possess Weapon
- Resist Peace Officer
- Possess Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000
- Fail to Comply with Conditions of Release Order x 2


Peter Edwin Morrison BLACK, 19, Suspect #2
- Robbery
- Assault with Weapon x 2
- Possess Weapon
- Assault Peace Officer x 2
- Resist Peace Officer
- Possess Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000

Thomas Robert Stanley KENT, 24, Suspect #3
- Robbery
- Assault with Weapon x 2
- Possess Weapon
- Assault Peace Officer x 2
- Resist Peace Officer
- Possess Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000

All three were detained in custody.