Brandon police officer charged with assault in youth’s arrest
Posted June 9, 2026 1:01 pm.
Last Updated June 9, 2026 5:07 pm.
A police officer in Brandon has been charged with assault after a youth was injured during an arrest last summer.
Manitoba’s police watchdog, the Independent Investigation Unit (IIU), recommended charges against an officer involved in the June 10, 2025, incident.
Brandon Police Service (BPS) officers were responding to a report of a male armed with an edged weapon who was “out of control” at a local high school.
The IIU says the boy was arrested following a first “use-of-force encounter” involving a stun gun. The watchdog says a second “use-of-force encounter” happened, and the youth was taken to hospital.
BPS Cst. Darren Shewchuk has been charged with one count of assault. The allegation against him has not been tested in court.
It’s not clear if that incident is related to the attack at Brandon’s Neelin High School on the same day that saw someone enter the school wearing a disguise and armed with a sword. A student was injured in the chest, forearms, hands and thighs.
The suspect was taken down by a stun gun at the school. A 16-year-old boy faces charges of attempted murder, uttering threats, wearing a disguise and possession of a weapon.
Police allege the attacker targeted people of colour and immigrants.
Brandon Deputy Police Chief Greg Hebert said the service is aware of the charge.
“The Brandon Police Service will not be providing further comment while the matter remains before the courts,” he said in a statement.
The service did not say whether Shewchuk remains on active duty or how long he has been employed with the force.
–With files from The Canadian Press
