Gangs, drugs, horrid tragedy
Narcotics fuel incidents like banquet-hall fatal shooting

By: Mike McIntyre

28/07/2009

A recent wave of gang-related violence -- including this weekend's brazen mass shooting and killing inside a Winnipeg wedding reception -- is likely being fuelled by a growing demand for drugs by Winnipeggers who cross all ethnic, social and geographical boundaries.
Police and justice sources say the general public probably doesn't realize the direct links between addiction and crime. Gang members are stockpiling weapons, settling old scores and running wild as they compete for big profits. The risks of being caught or even killed are simply seen by most as the cost of doing business.
And what a business it is. Crack cocaine has become prevalent on the streets of Winnipeg and is finding its way into the homes and hands of people from all walks of life. The recent downfall of the Manitoba Hells Angels has only created opportunity for several lower-level organizations to try to fill the void.
Police have not officially confirmed Saturday night's attack at Club 13 is tied to gang activity but sources say it is obvious. The unidentified gunman opened fire on a large crowd of people attending a function that included several members of the Manitoba Warriors street gang. There was no robbery attempt and no other plausible motive or explanation.
Sources believe the gang associates were the intended targets, though none was shot. Unfortunately, three innocent bystanders were hit, including a 50-year-old woman who was struck in the head as she looked at raffle prizes. Her common-law husband was hit in the back, while another woman was grazed with a bullet. Both have been treated and released from hospital.
Police have no description of the suspect, who fired several shots through an open rear door before fleeing into the night. Investigators have seized video footage from inside the Main Street facility and are looking at photographs taken by guests.
The Manitoba Warriors have a long local criminal history and are currently at odds with at least two main rivals -- the Native Syndicate and the Indian Posse. At least 10 other people have been shot in recent weeks in the North End, which is territory the three groups routinely frequent. One of those victims was killed.
Julian Sher, a Canadian expert on organized crime who has penned several books on the subject, said the sudden spike in violence isn't surprising. He said police have made great strides in cutting off the legs of the local Hells Angels through two recent sting operations that saw two presidents and several other full-patch members arrested and jailed.
"Crime on the streets follows the law of the jungle. When one of the big predators is taken out of the picture, other predators move in," Sher said in an interview Monday. He said the Hells are clearly at the "top of the criminal food chain" that would be responsible for importing and selling much of the drugs in Winnipeg.
Sources believe much of the recent violence is a continuation of long-simmering tensions between the Manitoba Warriors and Native Syndicate, which escalated into a riot at Stony Mountain prison in January.
Sources have told the Free Press one of the groomsmen at the wedding has ties to the Manitoba Warriors. The man and several fellow gang associates fled the facility as the bullets started flying, but police located and questioned them later. Sources say associates of the Hells Angels were seen in the area at the time but no direct link has been established.
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