Winnipeg police in front of the Allen Building after reports of a man with a large knife at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. (HE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski)
Winnipeg police say there is no longer a threat to public safety on the University of Manitoba‘s Fort Garry campus.
Police had issued a public alert on Tuesday warning of a male armed with a knife at the Allen Building, located at 30 Sifton Road. The suspect was described as a black male wearing black clothing.
Police put out the alert at around 7:30 a.m., followed by a public safety alert on television and via mobile devices at 8:30 a.m.
A student first called 911 at around 6:30 a.m. to report a man armed with a large kitchen knife in the building, according to police.
The university issued a shelter-in-place advisory just before 10 a.m. Officials advised the university community to stay in place and lock all doors. They also said if you are not on campus, do not come to campus. All classes, exams and events were cancelled for the remainder of the day. All virtual classes and those located on the Bannatyne campus will continue for the day.
Police say no injuries were reported. Officers will remain on scene conducting patrols as a precaution.
Officers at a news conference Tuesday said that the alleged assault did not influence how they responded to the knife report.
“This is an isolated incident that’s looked at for what it is, based on information we received. We don’t base that on prior incidents or to be careful. It has to do with this incident and how serious of a nature it was,” said police spokesman Const. Claude Chancy.
No arrests have been made. Anyone with information, including video surveillance, is asked to contact police at (204) 986-6219 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at (204) 786-TIPS.
The incident comes just weeks after a woman was assaulted in her dorm room at the U of M and another student was assaulted with bear spray and robbed on campus. At the time, university officials said they were increasing security in the immediate future.
Update: The incident at the University of Manitoba (Fort Garry Campus) has been resolved. It has been determined that there is no imminent threat to public safety. The Major Crimes Unit continues to investigate this matter. We thank you for your patience and cooperation. https://t.co/sT52gDmAlz
— Winnipeg Police (@wpgpolice) November 19, 2024
— With files from The Canadian Press
