Winnipeg police lay charges in connection with law office bombing
Police have laid charges against a Winnipeg man in connection with the law office bombing that seriously injured lawyer Maria Mitousis, 38, on Friday in Winnipeg.
Guido Amsel, 49, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, one count of aggravated assault, and a number of charges related to the possession of explosives.
Police say Amsel targetted his ex wife and legal counsel who represented her and him in the past over a lengthy divorce proceeding dating back to July, 2004.
Amsel is also charged in connection with an explosive device found on Washington Avenue Saturday night.
The charges come after the Winnipeg police bomb unit was called to a law office at 280 Stradbrook Avenue Sunday night where police found another explosive device.
Some witnesses tell CBC they heard a loud explosion at around 9:45 p.m. outside the law firm Orle Barman and Davidson on Stradbrook Avenue.
At a press conference Sunday afternoon, Supt. Danny Smyth said police took a 49-year-old man into custody Saturday night.
Police were called to the Petersen King law office in the 200 block of River Avenue at 10:15 a.m. Friday after reports of shots fired or an explosion.
Emergency crews arrived and Mitousis was taken to hospital in critical condition.
Witnesses said Mitousis was covered in blood when she was removed from the law firm. Speaking under the condition of anonymity, a source told The Canadian Press Mitousis had lost a hand and was in danger of losing the other one.
She received treatment and surgery for her injuries over the weekend. Mitousis is in stable condition and reportedly talking with investigators.
Numerous suspicious package reports
Smyth said police have received 20 suspicious package reports across the city since Friday's explosion.
On Saturday, a police bomb unit was sent out to a business on Washington Avenue following a report of a suspicious package. Police located the package, which they said contained "unknown material."
At about 10:40 p.m., the police bomb unit detonated the device, which caused significant damage to the building. No one was injured.
Police confirmed the bombing on River Avenue and the explosion on Washington Avenue are connected.
An office building on St. Mary Street in downtown Winnipeg was also evacuated Friday afternoon after a suspicious package was found. The building contained three law firms — including the offices of Monk Goodwin, where Mitousis used to work.
The evacuation was just a precaution, Smyth said Friday. Nothing suspicious was located.
Police execute search warrants
On Sunday, officer executed search warrants at an auto body shop on Springfield road and in a home on Pandora Avenue.
The bomb unit was deployed to C-Tech Automotive Used Car Sales and EuroTech Auto Body, both of which were taped-off, in the 2200 block of Springfield Road. Police evacuated properties in the area as a precaution and investigators searched the building.
Police also searched a home in the 600 block of Pandora Avenue. An officer on the scene said investigators believed the home is linked to Guido Amsel.
Police have maintained throughout the investigation that the bombing was an isolated incident that does not pose a threat to the general public.
