Police are investigating after a shooting in Winnipeg's downtown Monday morning sent two people to hospital.
Officers were called around 2:30 a.m. Monday.
A group of people had been walking southbound on Carlton Street near Portage Avenue when a 28-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman were hit by gunfire, said police. Both victims are listed in stable condition in hospital.
A vehicle may have been used but officers are not yet sure if it was used as a getaway car with suspects running to it, or if the incident was a drive-by shooting.
Police said the shooting doesn't appear random, but officers can't say either yet if the victims were targeted.
"We're certainly not saying this was a random act and we have no information right now to support that these individuals or anyone in the area may have been targeted," said Const. Jason Michalyshen of Winnipeg police.
Police are still investigating and no arrests have been made.
Mesfin Kahsai runs a restaurant in the downtown. His restaurant had closed up and employees were cleaning when they heard loud noises coming from the back lane early Monday. The back door was opened and a woman who had just been shot in the leg was carried inside to safety by friends, said Kahsai.
Police said shootings can happen anywhere and this incident is not just a downtown issue.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact investigators at 986-6219, or Crime Stoppers at 786-8477.
With the upcoming Jets exhibition game Tuesday, close to 15,000 people are expected to be at the MTS Centre, near where the shooting unfolded.
Police said multiple officers will be in the area, including members of the community support unit and the street crime unit. The cadets will also be on patrol, along with Downtown Biz members.
- with a report from CTV's Caroline Barghout
