‘Just out of the blue’: Man allegedly attacked by teen armed with machete

A Winnipeg man heading to work in St. James was randomly attacked by a teenager armed with a machete. Now he is speaking out.

A 28-year-old man is speaking out after he was allegedly attacked by a teenaged boy wielding a machete.

Charlie Dunham told CTV News he was on his way to work late Friday night when he was confronted by a stranger on Roseberry Street.

“Right as I’m coming up to this white car here, this one guy comes out and he says to me, ‘Give me all you have,’” Dunham recalled.

Dunham said he took a step back as the robber pulled out a machete.

“I turned and I started to run as the guy hit me in the back,” Dunham alleged. “Luckily, I had my backpack on me at the time, or else my back would have been completely cut up.”

Dunham said the robber chased him until he was able to get to safety.

“I kept running home and that’s when I talked to my mom, and I said to her, ‘Can you please call the cops?’ as I dropped to the ground, out of breath from running,” he said.

Slash marks could be seen across the back of Dunham’s coat Saturday.

The 28-year-old said he’s lived in the neighbourhood for more than a decade.

“Never, ever, ever in my life have I had something like that happen,” he said. “Just out of the blue, just trying to go to do my job, and that’s what happens.”

Police said they were called to the area around 11:45 p.m. When officers arrived, they arrested a teenager who matched the robber’s description with the machete still on him.

A 16-year-old boy was charged with several offences, including robbery and possessing a weapon. He remains in custody and the charges haven’t been tested in court.