Man Tasered after threatening to kill 2 Winnipeg police officers

A man whothreatened to kill two Winnipeg police officers with a knife anddrove a speeding vehicle towardthem has been charged with numerous offences.

Theman, 42, had to be shocked with a Taser before he was arrested on a North End street, police said.

It all started just after 5 p.m. Thursdayafter police received a report of a man who was possibly armed and threatening to ram a police vehicle.

A short time later, officers in a police cruiser in the 400 block ofSelkirkAvenueencountered the mandriving directly toward them at a high rate of speed. The vehicle stopped abruptly just before crashingwith the police.

The man then got out and, holding a knife, threatened to kill the two officers. He alsodemandedthey shoot him, police said.

"Officers immediately recognized the male as being in emotional distress and attempted a variety of de-escalation techniques in a very dangerous and potentially lethal-force encounter," said police spokesman Const.Rob Carver.

Stuck in traffic

The man then got back into his vehicle and drove away, but became stuck in traffic. Thatallowed thepolice cruisers that had responded to the incident tobox in the man's vehicle and prevent his escape.

He tried to get out once again with the knife, but officers Taseredhim and then arrested him.

It was a situation "that easily could have turned tragic," Carver said. "The male could have been shot."

The man has been charged with:

• Assaulting a peace officer with a weapon (three counts).
• Driving while impaired.
• Refusingto give a breath sample.
• Possession of a weapon.
• Failing to comply with a probation order.
• Driving while disqualified.