BPS officer accused of assaulting youth in high school takedown

A Brandon police officer has been charged with assault in connection with the arrest of a male youth last June after an incident that appears to be the sword attack at École secondaire Neelin High School.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba announced the charge against Brandon Police Service Const. Darren Shewchuk, 53, in a Tuesday morning news release.

The charge relates to the officer’s response after BPS received a report of a youth “armed with an edged weapon who was out of control at a local high school” on June 10, 2025.

Police took the suspect into custody after using a Taser on him, the IIU said.

A second unspecified “use-of-force encounter occurred,” and the youth was taken to Brandon Regional Health Centre, the agency said.

Last July, the IIU announced it had launched an investigation into the circumstances of the arrest. The investigation is now concluded, and the IIU said it will not share more information as the matter is before the courts.

Shewchuk’s first appearance on the charge was last Thursday in Brandon provincial court, and his matter is scheduled to appear on an administrative docket on June 16, according to court records.

BPS Deputy Chief Greg Hebert said the police service is aware of the charge the IIU announced.

“As the matter is now before the courts, we respect the judicial process and will await the outcome,” Hebert said.

BPS will not provide further comments while the charge is before the courts, he said.

The Brandon Police Association didn’t respond to the Sun’s request for comment by press time.

Shewchuk was previously charged with imprudent driving under the Highway Traffic Act in 2017 for a collision between his police vehicle and another cruiser in September 2016. The IIU said at the time an intoxicated man, who was being driven to the Brandon jail, was injured in the collision.

Court records available on Tuesday did not indicate the outcome of the 2017 driving case.

Shewchuk received the Police Exemplary Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada in 2023. The medal recognizes officers who have served in an exemplary manner for at least 20 years in a recognized Canadian police force.

Although government officials and BPS wouldn’t confirm that the June 10, 2025 incident described in the release was the sword attack at École secondaire Neelin High School that took place the same day, the circumstances match.

At about 1:15 p.m. on June 10, 2025, BPS responded to a call from a student at École secondaire Neelin High School who told police, “A male is going crazy with a sword.”

Minutes later police arrived at the school, and at 1:22 p.m. police arrested a 16-year-old boy, using a Taser to subdue him.

A 15-year-old student was rushed to Brandon Regional Health Centre in serious condition with deep cuts to his chest, forearms, hands and thighs. The accused, who the Sun cannot identify under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, also allegedly chased another student and a staff member.

The accused, now 17 years old, is charged with three counts of attempted murder along with two counts each of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and assault with a weapon.

He is also charged with disguise with intent and aggravated assault.

The teen is scheduled to stand trial in Brandon’s Court of King’s Bench from June 7-25, 2027.

BPS Chief Tyler Bates said weeks after the incident that there was a significant amount of evidence that the accused’s “racial and political ideologies” were motivating factors behind the attack.

The victim’s background is Nigerian, and multiple sources have confirmed the accused is Indigenous.

Crown attorney Jennifer Comack previously told the Sun that the Crown intended to seek an adult sentence for the accused and the Public Prosecution Service of Canada had provided notice of their intention to seek the application of 83.27(1) of the Criminal Code of Canada.

If the application of that clause is granted, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada will argue that the offences constitute an act of terrorism, and the court would be allowed to sentence the accused to life in prison, federal lawyer Judy Kliewer confirmed with the Sun last month.

» Sanderson@brandonsun.com, with files from Erik Pindera