Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release
At 7:40 pm on Thursday evening, officers responded to a report of a fight at the skate park in the 900 block of Princess Ave. Witnesses at the scene advised that a group of 5 people, 1 man and 4 women who witnesses described as indigenous in appearance started an altercation with a black man at the skate park by yelling racial slurs at him. A fight broke out during which the victim defended himself against the group and was stabbed by a woman. The victim was taken to Brandon Regional Health Centre by a citizen before police arrived. Officers located the scene of the altercation and the Forensic Identification Unit and the Major Crimes Unit were called to continue the investigation. A patrol officer located a woman matching the description of one of the suspects in the 800 block of Rosser Ave. The woman had blood on her clothing and a knife with blood on it was in her pocket. She was arrested. A second female suspect was also located nearby and arrested.
Video of the incident was located and viewed by officers. The video shows an altercation occurred between a group of five people, one male and 4 females and a man at the skate park. The group of people yell racial slurs at the man who is black. A fight breaks out between the victim and a male suspect and the other four suspects join in, attacking the man with punches and kicks. The victim defends himself, and is holding one of the suspects down when one of the women pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim 5 times in the side of his abdomen. The altercation ends as the man walks away, bleeding from wounds on his side. The female with the knife also slashed the tires of the man’s vehicle before the stabbing occurred.
Emergency surgery was performed on the man at the hospital and at last word, he is awake and alert and expected to make a full recovery.
The two suspects who are related are in custody and will appear in court on Friday morning. The first suspect, a 23 year old woman from Brandon, is charged with Aggravated Assault with a Weapon, Mischief to Property Under $5000, Public Incitement of Hatred and Failing to Comply with a Release Order. The second suspect, a 20 year old woman from Sioux Valley, is charged with Assault, Public Incitement of Hatred, Public Mischief and Failing to Comply with a Release Order. The investigation is ongoing, including locating the other three suspects involved in the assault. Further charges are pending.
