Violent stabbing at Winnipeg Smitty’s captured on video
Posted April 16, 2024 4:32 pm.
Last Updated April 16, 2024 7:01 pm.
A violent stabbing at Smitty’s was captured on video — the fourth attack at an eatery in Winnipeg in less than a year.
Some industry members say they’re spending more time and energy on security and safety than ever before.
The April 14 incident happened outside the St. James Street eatery. A police spokesperson said brawls like this one — in which a 31-year-old man has been charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon — are fuelled “by alcohol and bad decisions.”
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The Smitty’s stabbing is just one of four violent incidents at an eatery in the last year and the second this month. On April 2, police tape covered an Osborne Street Burger King due to another violent attack.
Mona Naghibzadeh is the owner of Next Stop Cafe. She’s at her restaurant every weekend to ensure staff are kept safe during busy services, and has witnessed racist rants and drug use, dine and dashes, and vandalism.
“It’s not something you see every couple of months, we see it every week,” said Naghibzadeh. “You never know what’s going to happen.”
Naghibzadeh says they’ve installed new cameras at the restaurant due to the incident at the nearby Burger King.
“I just want to make a space where customers can be happy and they feel at home.”
The Manitoba Restaurant and Food Services Association, which represents hundreds of restaurants in the province, is set to meet with Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham on Friday.
Police advise the public to always be aware of their surroundings and if they witness a volatile situation, they should not engage, distance themselves if possible, and call police immediately.
