Winnipeg police boost presence after shootings

Police Chief Keith McCaskill said theforceis puttingall availableresources into the investigation tofind theindividual or people responsible.

"The most important thing here is to make sure that we get that information that is going to be helpful to solve this awful crime," he said.

There are no new leads, McCaskill said.

He could notsaywhether one or more people are believed to be responsible or if the shootings are linked.

However, officers areworking around the clock to get those answers, he said, adding hewants to send a message to the community and whoever pulled the triggers thatpolice won't rest until arrests are made.

Girl's condition improves

McCaskill spoketo media at the Indian and Mtis Friendship Centre, about a block from where the13-year-old girl was shot Saturday night. Shewaswas hit in the abdomen while walking with friends in the 200 block of Stella Walk. Her medical condition was upgraded Monday to stable.

Two other shootings followed soon after outside a home in the 400 block of Dufferin Avenue, then outside a home in the 400 block of Boyd Avenue.

A man was killed in each of those incidents: family members and friendsof the victims said Tommy Beardy, 35, was killed on Dufferin and Ian Layton MacDonald, 52, died in the Boyd shooting.

Beardy was a relative of the Grand Chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, an agency representing mostFirst Nations communities in Manitoba's north. David Harper said Beardy was his cousin's son and described him as a good man with a good family.

Harper challenged those responsible for the slayings to come forward.

"We are calling on whoever has caused this to bring himself in and make sure we deal with this accordingly. I mean, right now,[the suspect's]not in a good position where he's at now," he said.

MacDonaldhailed from a small town near Cape Breton, N.S.,and was in Winnipeg tocare foradisabled relative, said friend Lorne Edwards.

Province pledges support

The shootings, which took place just blocks apart, between 8:40 p.m. and 9:15 p.m., appear to have been random events and that the victims weren't targeted, police said.

Manitoba Justice Minister Andrew Swan called the weekend shootings senseless and tragic, and said theprovince is willing to assistpolice in any way it can to end the violence in the North End.

"If there are additional resources, if there is going to be overtime, if there's going to be additional things the police believe they need to do,I want to make the chief very, very aware that the province stands with our police service," Swan said.