Hells Angel sought by Winnipeg police for alleged beating
Rodney Sweeney, a member of the Hells Angels biker gang, is sought by police for his alleged connection to a beating in Winnipeg's East Kildonan neighbourhood.
A 27-year-old man and a14-year-old boy who is related to him, were riding bicycles near Concordia Avenue and Molson Street on Aug. 5 when they were attacked at about 11:15 p.m., police said.
The man and boy were riding when a vehicle began following them for a short distance before a man got out and beat them with a blunt weapon, police said.
When the victims were able to get away, they contacted police and were sent to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
On Friday, an arrest warrant was issued for Sweeney, whose got a long criminal history, including being shot six times in 2001 during a biker gang war in the city.
His brother, Dale Sweeney, is president of the Manitoba Hells Angels. He was arrested during a series of raids by police in 2012.
According to court documents obtained by CBC in 2011, members of the Redlined Support Crew, a Hells Angels puppet group, answer directly to Dale and Rod Sweeney.
The Redliners made a lot of headlines that year during a wave of violence involving shootings and firebombings between them and the Rock Machine biker gang.
Sweeney has been known to carry weapons and should not be approached, police cautioned.
Anyone with information regarding the assault on Concordia or the whereabouts of Sweeney is asked to contact either the Winnipeg Police Organized Crime Unit at 204-986-3916 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).
