Two people are in critical condition after a bomb went off inside a pickup truck in Winnipeg on the weekend, setting ablaze the vehicle and four occupants, police said.

A man, 27, and woman, 20, are fighting for their lives in hospital. A man, 22, and a boy, 17, were treated for serious injuries, including severe burns.

The explosion happened around 11:15 p.m. CT Saturday in the city's Brooklands neighbourhood. Immediately afterwards, the truck drove into a fire hydrant at the intersection of Gallagher Avenue West and Midmar Avenue.

The improvised explosive device was in a bag inside the cab of the truck when it accidentally went off, Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Rob Carver said Tuesday.

"The four victims who were injured were not intended victims," he said.

Carver said he was unable to provide specific answers because of the ongoing investigation. He noted, however, the bag was brought to a 7–Eleven parking lot at Gallagher and Keewatin Street by someone not connected to the four people from the truck.


That person left the bag to go inside the store and it was then picked up by the people from the truck, he said.

Nick Chastellaine, whose girlfriend was the one who took the bag, told CBC she intended to turn it over to police.

Chastellaine wasn't in the truck, but his girlfriend, cousin and friend were three of the four occupants. He said he spoke to them afterward, and they told him they opened the bag to see if there was anything inside to identify the owner.

That's when the bag burst into flames, he said.

"The whole truck, inside the cab, just ignited into flames within like seconds," he said. "All of them are saying it was a flash before their eyes, because they all thought they were going to die."


The person who brought the bag to the 7–Eleven was also not an intended victim and might not have known what was inside, Carver said. He wouldn't elaborate further on what police know about the bomb or its intended target.

"We have some sense of that, but it's not something we can release on at this point," he said. "There are just elements I cannot speak on at this point."

The truck had only driven about 50 metres from the 7–Eleven when the bomb detonated.


Initially, emergency crews responded to what was believed to be a crash that caused the truck to go up in flames. The four people were found outside the vehicle suffering from severe burns.

"It's just luck that they [victims] weren't more seriously injured," said Carver. "We've got video of the truck on fire. It's a horrific scene and I can tell you the Winnipeg Police Service has devoted all of the resources that we can to tying this up."

It is "incredibly alarming" that an IED was out there and injured four people, he said.

"It's obvious that it was designed for maximum effect, to create what it did in that vehicle. Was it designed to do that with an intended victim? I simply don't have that information at this point," Carver said.

"It's reasonable to assume that when someone has gone to all the trouble to make an explosive device of this power, that there's some back story. But I don't have the luxury of being able to share it at this point."

He apologized for being vague about what happened, saying he is struggling to balance the needs of transparency with the need to maintain the integrity of this investigation.

"I know it's confusing … but that's the best we can do at this point," Carver said. "I have spent an inordinate amount of time trying to understand the nuances of this particular case as well."

The message he wants to underscore is that police do not feel there is any continued threat to the public.

"We are not looking for any other devices," he said "We do not believe that someone has randomly put an explosive device out in the public with the intention that innocent victims could be injured."

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Anyone surprised with Trudeau in charge?

I smell a islamic terrorist, they will probably never reveal...

A pity.

quote:

Originally posted by CPTKILLER:
Anyone surprised with Trudeau in charge?

Oh I don't know that Trudeau is responsible. I've known some Canucks that pre-date him that would pickup such a package and try to take it home. Sucks the Frogs up there used to blow up mailboxes all the time back in the 60's, so it could have been some senile old Frog that left it outside the 7-11.

quote:

...That person left the bag to go inside the store and it was then picked up by the people from the truck, he said.

Its not a very well written article but I can't be the only one getting this from the article:
some people ripped off a bag that someone else left outside a store... and then it blew up in their vehicle.

**looks like jbcummings posted the same thing while I was writing my post.

Headline: Thieving Canadiens in Karma Bake

Meh... Canadians. Meh...

This Canadian on Canadian crime has to stop somehow. Next they'll be bringing it deeper into our borders, just watch.

Many a time I have felt the sting of lawlessness administered by this rogue and barbaric regime. Now we are seeing their true nature. It's not a religion, or a political leaning, or ethnicity. No, it's a 'culture of violence', born of centuries of their lust for vehemence and hatred of all that is right and just.

We must not give up on our fight, we must not flicker out and disappear into the night. We will overcome their tyranny, we will overcome their might. Lest all those that take hold of what is free and good, loose the battle for all that is right.

To my dismay, I've only one life to sacrifice on the alter freedom, righteousness and courage, in my battle against this oppressive beast, this onerous power, this totalitarian dystopia, this Canada.

May we rise up like locusts in the summer wind, with the heart of a lion, the soul of an Eagle, and the power of a Bull, and vanquish their foul existence, driving them back to the cold north wasteland they call home.

We will be vindicated.

We will be vinicated!


H&K-Guy -The Minnesotan

So if the victims weren't the intended victims, and the guy who brought the bag and left it outside the 7-11 wasn't the intended victim and "might not have known what was inside", then was the guy who brought the bag and left it outside the 7-11 also a thieving slug who just happened to not try to open the bag before it was stolen by the cruds in the pickup truck?

There's got to be a real Elmore Leonard type story behind all this.

I for one think that they need more common sense explosive control laws. People of Canada shouldn't have to worry about bombs being left on the streets. Will someone please think of the children?

quote:

Originally posted by Il Cattivo:
So if the victims weren't the intended victims, and the guy who brought the bag and left it outside the 7-11 wasn't the intended victim and "might not have known what was inside", then was the guy who brought the bag and left it outside the 7-11 also a thieving slug who just happened to not try to open the bag before it was stolen by the cruds in the pickup truck?

There's got to be a real Elmore Leonard type story behind all this.

I think it wasn't stolen. Why leave the bag outside of the store? I'm thinking it was a "Bag Drop".

quote:

Originally posted by Il Cattivo:
So if the victims weren't the intended victims, and the guy who brought the bag and left it outside the 7-11 wasn't the intended victim and "might not have known what was inside", then was the guy who brought the bag and left it outside the 7-11 also a thieving slug who just happened to not try to open the bag before it was stolen by the cruds in the pickup truck?

There's got to be a real Elmore Leonard type story behind all this.

Agree. It'll be interesting to see how this settles out.

There is a lot wrong with this story.... a lot. It will be interesting to see what the police investigation reveals.

quote:

Originally posted by greco:
A pity.

Yes, that they didn't get blown to pieces.

Chastellaine wasn't in the truck, but his girlfriend, cousin and friend were three of the four occupants. He said he spoke to them afterward, and they told him, "Somebody set us up the bomb"".