A man who was on supervised probation for an assault has been charged in a shooting that claimed the lives of four people in Winnipeg.
Officers were called early Nov. 26 to a multi-unit house in the West Broadway neighbourhood, where they found five people wounded.
A man and a woman were pronounced dead at the scene, and another man and woman died later in hospital.
A fifth person, a 55-year-old man, remains in hospital in “very critical” condition, police said on Dec. 1.
Sgt. Wade McDonald, with the Winnipeg police homicide unit, said officers identified a suspect on Nov. 30.
“We worked endless hours conducting canvasses, reviewing video, conducting interviews attempting to solve this as quick as we can,” he said.
Police named those killed as: Crystal Beardy, 34; her sister Stephanie Beardy, 33; Melelek Lesikel, 29; and Dylan Lavallee, 41.
On early Dec. 1, officers arrested Jamie Randy Felix, 32, who is from Winnipeg, at a home in the southeast end of the city.
Insp. Jennifer McKinnon said Mr. Felix was “safely taken into custody.” He faces four counts of second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
“This has been a stressful time for not only the Winnipeg Police Service, but the entire city and beyond,” she said.
“It’s times like this that we really need to come together as a community to lend support to one another. We can’t do this alone.”
Insp. McKinnon couldn’t say whether the suspect and victims knew each other.
Provincial court records show Mr Felix was arrested in August 2021 and charged with aggravated assault. He pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm and was placed on two years supervised probation in March.
The Beardy sisters were from Lake St. Martin, north of Winnipeg. Family say Stephanie Beardy was living in the community and was visiting relatives in Winnipeg, including her sister Crystal Beardy.
Chief Chris Traverse has known the family for years and spent time with them this week as they have been grieving.
“It’s painful. One of my best friends is their brother. I’ve been with him the past couple of days,” Chief Traverse said in an interview on Dec. 1.
Traverse commended police for their diligence in locating a suspect, which has brought some relief to the family and community.
“They can start grieving and prepare for funerals that are coming up,” he said.
Sgt. McDonald said police will be executing several search warrants and interviewing additional witnesses.
