Man taped machetes to hands in hopes of being shot, Winnipeg police say

A 34-year-old man taped a large machete to each hand Friday morning and called 911 to report himself, in hopes officers would shoot him, Winnipeg police say.

"He made plans … taping the machetes to his hands; now he can't drop those weapons," said Const. Jay Murray.

The man was believed to be coming off methamphetamine when officers arrived at the home in the Robertson neighbourhood just after 7 a.m., Murray said.

The man immediately moved toward officers, yelling for them to shoot him, he said. The man was seen as a threat to public safety as well, Murray said, with indications he would have attacked a bystander.

The man was also armed with a makeshift shield to prevent being shot with a Taser stun gun.

"That is something we haven't really seen before and that might change the way we think of things, too," Murray said.

Members of the tactical response team used a less lethal weapon to subdue and arrest the man, Murray said. He wouldn't say what kind of weapon was used, but did say the man wasn't injured.

"Methamphetamine has changed policing; the way we interact with individuals who are high on meth, we often find ourselves being involved in these use-of-force encounters," Murray said.

The man was charged with possession of a weapon and failing to comply with a probation order. He is in custody.

If you're experiencing suicidal thoughts or having a mental health crisis, there is help out there. Contact the Manitoba Suicide Line toll-free at 1-877-435-7170 (1-877-HELP170) or the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-688-6868.