A group of international students attacked last week has a college responding with security changes at its satellite campus in downtown Winnipeg.

Four Providence College students from India between the ages of 19 and 23 were victims of an unprovoked assault March 1 near the corner of Fort Street and Graham Avenue. 

Two of them sustained minor injuries to the upper body, while a 20-year-old in the group was treated in hospital after being knocked unconscious and losing a tooth, police said.

“My heart broke for him,” said Kent Anderson, president of Providence College. “You can imagine their families back in their home countries and the fear that they’re feeling and it just, it just shouldn’t be like this.”

The suspect took off but police later arrested a 22-year-old man in connection with the incident.

Winnipeg police Const. Dani McKinnon said the group described the man as acting erratically during the attack.

“The victims indicated that out of nowhere the accused just began violently attacking them and we have witnesses that corroborate that as well,” said McKinnon. 

McKinnon said based on the investigation it doesn’t appear the man was targeting the group for any particular reason.

The suspect was charged with three counts of assault and one count of assault causing bodily harm in what investigators believe was a random attack. He was released on a promise to appear in court.

Anderson said the student who was most seriously injured is suffering from memory issues and finds that last point unnerving.

“He is pretty nervous about the fact that the perpetrator is on the loose in the neighbourhood,” said Anderson.

“That’s a pretty fearful thing for him as you can imagine, but we appreciate that our criminal justice system functions in a certain way and that everything’s been done properly.”

One of several incidents targeting students

The main Providence College campus is located in Otterburne, about 30 kilometres south of Winnipeg.

The faith-based school began renting space in the CDI College building at the corner of Graham and Main Street last spring to run its associate of arts in business program, said Anderson.

He said the program has grown from 40 students in May to 200 today, with most of the international students having come from India and to a lesser extent the Philippines. 

The assault to the group was one of several recent incidents against students. Anderson said in the past several weeks students have reported being chased to buses, verbally accosted or threatened outside the school, among other issues.

In response to the latest assault, Anderson said the college has doubled its on-staff security from one to two guards.

Anderson said the college is offering up security to walk students to bus stops, and encouraging students who leave the building to do so in groups where possible.

“We’re doing the best we can to provide students with a greater sense of safety,” he said.

Part of that work also includes touching base with other downtown partners and schools to share information about safety and security issues, said Anderson.

The attack comes amid a rise in downtown assaults. McKinnon confirmed substance use is a common factor.

This week, a 13-year-old boy was arrested in connection with a string of unprovoked bear mace incidents in downtown and the West End on Feb. 19.

That same day, the University of Winnipeg posted to its social media accounts about how a resident of its McFeetors Hall was assaulted.

The U of W says it has recently enhanced campus security measures in response to attacks in the area. (Jeff Stapleton/CBC)

On the heels of recent incidents the U of W has enhanced security, university spokesperson Caleb Zimmerman said.

“As an immediate precaution, we have increased security presence on campus,” he said in a statement Friday. “Students can also use our SafeWalk program to request an escort to their vehicle or a bus stop. We are always looking at ways to enhance the safety and security of our campus community.”

Conor Lloyd, director of college and public relations at RRC Polytech, said staff at the Exchange District campus have been enhancing security measures in recent years in connection with a rise in downtown incidents.

That includes augmenting its security camera system, adding more lighting outsides around campus, running a mobile patrol and running safe walk services in the past few years, he said.

“We’re fortunate [violent incidents] don’t happen often, but when they do we certainly look at everything that we’ve done and everything that we have in place and determine what changes that we need to make,” he said.

Anderson said he understands there are complex social issues at play that contribute to issues of downtown safety.

“Troubled people need to be cared for in our city as well,” he said. “Everybody’s paying attention to this and showing concern and love for these new students of ours. I’m really pleased for that. Sometimes crisis brings people together.”

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