Winnipeg police news: Manitoba’s police watchdog will not recommend charges against Winnipeg police officers in the death of a 34-year-old man who broke into a home on Burrin Avenue this spring, CTV News reported Thursday.
By Maplestime Winnipeg Desk | Winnipeg, Manitoba | November 5, 2026
Sources: CTV News Winnipeg | City of Winnipeg | Last updated: November 5, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Manitoba’s Independent Investigation Unit will not recommend charges against Winnipeg police officers
- The case concerns a 34-year-old man found unconscious after breaking into a home in the 100 block of Burrin Avenue on April 1, 2026
- Officers handcuffed the man for safety so they could give him first aid until paramedics arrived
- The man was taken to hospital in critical condition and pronounced deceased
- The death was treated as an in-custody death under the Police Services Act, which put the Independent Investigation Unit in charge of the investigation
What Happened on Burrin Avenue
Winnipeg police were called to a residential break and enter in the 100 block of Burrin Avenue at 8:04 a.m. on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, according to a City of Winnipeg news release.
North District general patrol officers arrived and found an unconscious 34-year-old man who had entered a home unlawfully while the homeowners were present. Officers handcuffed the man for safety reasons so they could safely give him the first aid he needed until Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service personnel arrived.
The man was taken to hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced deceased. Because the matter was deemed an in-custody death under the Police Services Act, the civilian director of the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba was notified, and the unit took over the investigation.
What the Watchdog Decided
CTV News reported Thursday, November 5, 2026, that Manitoba’s police watchdog will not recommend charges against the Winnipeg police officers involved. The report was by Charles Lefebvre for CTV News Winnipeg.
The full Independent Investigation Unit report and the man’s cause of death were not in the material verified before this post went live. Maplestime will update this story when the unit publishes its full report.
What Happens Next
Deaths in police custody in Manitoba are subject to a mandatory inquest under the Fatality Inquiries Act. That process will examine the full circumstances of what happened on Burrin Avenue in April.
For the family of the man who died, and for the homeowners who were inside when he entered, the watchdog’s decision closes the criminal investigation. The inquest process remains the public forum where the remaining questions about that morning can be put on the record.
Maplestime will provide updates from this investigation and any inquest as announcements are made.
Have a tip about this story? Email [email protected]
Have a correction? Email [email protected]
Do you think Manitoba’s police watchdog process gives the public enough answers when someone dies in custody? Tell us in the comments. And share this with every Winnipegger following police accountability in Manitoba.
Enjoying Maplestime? Support independent Canadian journalism — no paywall, no corporate owners.







