Man nearly shot by officers after robbing liquor store with bike pump that looked like gun: police

Winnipeg police say a man narrowly avoided being shot by officers after he allegedly aimed what looked like a firearm but turned out to bea bicycle pump to rob a downtown liquor store.

On Wednesday, officers were called to a robbery at the Liquor Mart on Ellice Avenue at Hargrave Street, where an employee and customer said a man had come in with what they thought was a firearm.

A short time later, officers spotted the suspect on the street. He pulled out what looked like a firearm, took a "shooting stance" and pointed it at the officers, police spokesperson Const. Jay Murray said Friday.

"You can imagine that if an employee and customers of a store are describing this as a firearm when they're contacting 911, officers then approach or find this individual [and]from about 75 feet away, this person adopts a shooting stance and takes aim at officers," said Murray.

The officers didn't fire their guns at the suspect out of fear for the safety of bystanders and called in backup. The suspect was subdued and taken into custody, which is when officers saw that the weapon was in fact a bicycle pump. They also found a bottle of stolen alcohol.

The 40-year-old man has been charged with armed robbery with a firearm.

2 other firearms incidents

Police made arrests in two other firearms-related cases in recent days. Police arrested four peopleafter executing a search warrant Wednesday at a house on Furby Street north of Ellice Avenue.

Inside the house, officers found improvised firearms commonly known as zip guns, as well as parts used to manufacture them.

They also found identification documents and a retail membership card that had been illegally obtained.

"No longer is law enforcement faced with traditional or conventional firearms that are used in an illegal manner,"Murray said Friday.

"We're starting to see different types of rudimentary improvised firearms devices that are used to threaten individuals, to threaten police, and in fact have been used in homicides."

Three people face a number of charges, including firearms trafficking and possessing identity documents. A fourth person was charged with failing to comply with a court order and failing to appear before court.

Police also released more information on a firearms incident thatclosed off streets in the GrantPark neighbourhood and sawHarrow School put into a hold-and-secure situation on Thursday.

Officers were called to a house on Guelph Street near Hector Avenue at about 2:35 p.m. Thursday, after someone called saying they had seen a gun on the roof. Police surrounded the house. Ashort time later a man came out the back door and was arrested.

The officers recovered an unloaded, single-shot 12-gauge shotgun from the roof.

A 53-year-old man has been charged with improper storage of a firearm, possessing a firearm knowing it is unauthorized, and possessing a firearm or ammunition contrary to a probation order.