Firebombing gang-related, Winnipeg mayor says

Police are making headway as they deal with a turf war between rival biker gangs, Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz said Wednesday.

Katz said two people have been arrested in connectionwith Wednesday's firebombing ofa tattoo parlour in Osborne Village.

"I'm ecstatic to hear that we already have pressed charges and made arrests on a fire-bombing today in the Osborne area, which was gang-related," Katz said. "So you can see that it's working and hopefully it will continue."

It wasthe fourth such attack in the last three days and the most recent of at least 13 incidentsrelated to escalating fighting between the Rock Machine and Hells Angels in the past month, according to Winnipeg police.

Currently, 15suspects nowface charges ranging from drugs to outstanding warrantslinked tothe escalating violence.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen told reporters: "We have a problem on our hands, no question.

"This is violence in our city and we should all be concerned, whether you're directly involved as a police officer or a member of the public. No one should be subject to this in their community, regardless of where they reside."

Michalyshen said the increasing violence could be linked to a power vacuum in Winnipeg's gang culture.

A police crackdown on the Hells Angels and its puppet club the Zig Zag Crewin 2009opened the door for the Rock Machine.

"We've dismantled groups and detained those individuals. Is there a void in existence right now and other groups are trying to move in? Is that a possibility? Sure is," Michalyshen said.

Just after 12 a.m. Sunday, someone broke the window of a St. Vital business, DC Automotive, and tossed a firebomb inside the shop and automotive bays. Later that day, a residence on Royal Avenue in the West Kildonan neighbourhood also was hit.

Police have attributed the two attacksto the turf war between thetwo biker gangs.

OnTuesday afternoon, a home on Mighton Avenuein the city's Elmwood neighbourhood was targeted; scorch marks were left on the stucco siding of the house, which was the target of a police weapons raid last fall.

Court documents show the owner is linked to the Hells Angels.

The owner of 187 Ink, Wayne Nuytten , saidhe doesn't know why someone would go after his business.

'I ain't no gang member'

"I have no idea why this would happen. I ain't no gang member.I've never been a gang member," he said. "We tattoo anyone and everyone,and whatever they want. Their money's just as good as anyone else's."

Nuytten said only the front door to the shop was damaged, so he planned to clean up andreopen as soon as possible.

"During the past several weeks, our city has been subject to numerous acts of violence as a result of conflict involving outlaw motorcycle gangs," theWinnipeg Police Service said in a news release released Wednesday.

The WPS listed 13 incidents as part of the violence between the biker gangs:

• Fire June 14, 1800 block of Logan Avenue.
• Shots fired June 26, 100 block of Mighton Avenue.
• Shots fired June 27, 1500 block of Roy Avenue.
• Shots firedJune 28,100 block of Canberra Road.
• Shots fired June 29, 100 block of Stranmillis Avenue.
• Firearm located June 29, 100 block of Kingston Row.
• Male shot July 4,100 block of Taft Crescent.
• Fire July 6, 1800 block of Logan Avenue.
• Fire July 10,200 block St. Marys Road.
• Fire July 10, 200 block of Royal Avenue.
• Fire July 11, 1700 block of King Edward Street.
• FireJuly 12, 100 block of Mighton Avenue.
• Fire July 13, 100 block of Osborne Street.

The bikerconflict is all about a battle for"supremacy" of the local drug trade,Michalyshen said.

"They want to have leadership and they are making every effort to intimidate one another," he said.

For the most part, members of the public should not be fearful for their safety, but "it would be very naive" to think that innocent bystanders are immune to the dangers, Michalyshen said.

'They want to have leadership and they are making every effort to intimidate one another.' Const. Jason Michalyshen

"We had an incident where an individual did sustain an injury. Again, that is a very unlikely event and I think somewhat isolated."

A14-year-old boy was wounded duringa drive-by shooting that targeted a townhouse on Taft Crescent in theLord Roberts neighbourhood.

The residence was hit by more than a dozen shots in the July 4 incident and the boy, who was inside at the time, was struck in the lower body. He was sent to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police have made some minor arrests in connection with those 13 violent incidents in the past month and will beef up resources to put more pressure on the biker gangs, Michalyshen said.

"Our commitment to dealing with this conflict has resulted in approximately15 arrests to date for a variety of breaches, drug possession and outstanding warrants. The resolution of these incidents continues to be of the highest priority."