A Winnipeg police officer was punched in the face while trying to take a man into custody who was carrying a machete.
The incident happened on Wednesday morning as police were patrolling in the 200 block of Austin Street North. Officers spotted a group of men in a rear lane and one of them was brandishing a machete.
Police approached the group and the suspect attempted to hide the weapon in a backpack. He then fled on a bicycle but was followed by police to a nearby yard, where an officer was punched and suffered minor injuries.
The suspect was found to be carrying two machetes — each 12” and 14” long — as well as a makeshift metal-throwing star.
Ryan Chase George, 20, of Winnipeg, has been charged with several offences, including assaulting a peace officer and resisting arrest. He remains in custody.
