Winnipeg Teen Faces Animal Cruelty Charges After Killing Geese in SUV Rampage

Based on coverage from CBC, Global News, CP24, Toronto Sun, Winnipeg Free Press, and Winnipeg Free Press.

A Winnipeg teenager is facing animal cruelty charges after police say he intentionally drove over a group of Canada geese in a series of incidents across the city’s southwest on Saturday night. Most of the birds died, and one was injured, according to the Winnipeg Police Service.

Police say the accused, 17, was arrested at his home on Monday after investigators matched a white SUV seen on security footage to the teen. He was later released with an appearance notice for a future court date. The charges have not been tested in court, and Winnipeg police say the investigation is ongoing.

Winnipeg police timeline of goose deaths

Winnipeg police describe what they call a roughly half-hour spree involving three parking lots.

The first report came in around 9:50 to 9:53 p.m. on Henlow Bay in the West Fort Garry Industrial Park. Police allege a sleeping goose was run over and left injured in a parking lot.

Minutes later, around 10 p.m., police say the same driver went to another parking lot on Henlow Bay and drove over two more sleeping geese, killing them.

A third incident followed around 10:15 to 10:17 p.m. in the Seasons of Tuxedo area on Sterling Lyon Parkway, near the Ikea. Police allege two geese were chased from their nest in the parking lot and then run over and killed.

Across the reports, the numbers line up as five geese struck, with four killed and one injured. Some coverage described “most” of the geese being killed, but police details point to four deaths.

Where it happened: Henlow Bay and Sterling Lyon Parkway

The locations are familiar to many Winnipeggers: Henlow Bay sits off Scurfield Boulevard in an area filled with warehouses and parking lots. Sterling Lyon Parkway, in the Seasons of Tuxedo shopping district, has big-box stores and wide lots that can draw wildlife, especially birds that nest near landscaped ponds and grassy edges.

Police say the Sterling Lyon incident involved geese being chased from their nest before being run over, a detail that’s likely to draw added scrutiny because it suggests disturbance during nesting.

Charges laid against 17-year-old driver

Police say the teen faces five counts of killing or injuring animals. A Winnipeg police spokesperson, Const. Claude Chancy, called the alleged incidents unusual and “not good to see,” according to one report.

Investigators say they identified the vehicle through security footage. One report describes the SUV as a white Subaru, and another specifies a white 2024 Subaru Solterra. Police say the vehicle was seen at both scenes, and officers determined the teen was driving at the time.

After his Monday arrest, police say he was released from custody with conditions to appear in court later.

Canada geese protected under federal law

Canada geese are protected birds in Canada. Police say Manitoba Conservation has been notified because the case involves a protected species, and one report notes the federal Migratory Birds Convention Act as a key piece of legislation in play.

That protection generally means it is illegal to kill, harm, or disturb the birds, their nests, or eggs without a federal permit. At the same time, Canada geese are also classified as game birds, and hunting is allowed during designated seasons under specific rules.

For Winnipeg residents, the practical takeaway is that even if geese feel like a nuisance in parks and parking lots, the law treats harming them as a serious offence, and cases can involve both police and conservation authorities.

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