Are recent violent crimes involving youth in Winnipeg linked to gang activity?

Violent crimes committed by young offenders continue to escalate in Winnipeg, with you advocates calling for support to reverse the disturbing trend.

Terrence Melquist was in a local gang from age 12 to 19. He grew up in the North End and says violence, taking drugs and drinking came naturally to him when he was a child because it was all he ever knew.

“A lot of the stuff that I encountered growing up in here was violence and poverty and getting in trouble at a really young age,” said Melquist.

“It’s really important for me just to help these guys realize that there is something different out there for them.”

Melquist, speaking from his own experience, says young kids are usually the most violent members in a gang because they have to prove something to the more senior members.

He believes that’s a major contributing factor to the uptake in youth crimes this year.

“They will do whatever it takes to make a name for themselves,” said Melquist, now with Inner City Youth Alive in Winnipeg.

Melquist says it’s his life’s goal to help out those who were in the same position he was as a kid, and make different choices.

“I really encourage youth the take the right steps.”

In the most recent high-profile crimes allegedly involving teenagers, two 15-year-olds were charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Danielle Ballantyne and Marvin Felix last week.

Police say they have not linked the homicides to gang activity, but haven’t ruled it out as the investigation continues.

Jody Martins from The Link: Youth and Family Supports says it’s concerning to see youth involved in crimes.

“It’s just really awful news,” said Martins. “We are never happy to hear of these sorts of events.”

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According to data from Winnipeg police, up until May, there have been 577 crimes involving youth between the ages of 12 to 17 and Winnipeg this year. More than half – 301 kids – were charged.

Martins says it’s imperative to provide services for at-risk youth.

“We just really try and listen to the stories of the youth and the kids that come in and meet them where they are at and try to provide whatever it is they need and try to help them get their feet on the ground,” added Martins.

Marion Willis from St. Boniface Street Links says the pandemic has a played a major role in this trend. She says the biggest factor in the increase of violent crimes involving youth is homelessness.

The organization has housed 260 people in the last 18 months. Willis says she is working hard to house more people as the winter months approach.

“The people living unsheltered out there, they are citizens of this city,” said Willis. “We need to house people, we need to get them on income supports and we need to wrap services around and work with people. If we are going to leave them outside and allow them to just be added as numbers of homeless people in Winnipeg, Manitoba, then that is what we are going to get.”