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This article was published 28/8/2016 (1485 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Newcomers to Canada taking orientation classes downtown have been attacked in broad daylight by an armed robber.

Winnipeg police have a suspect in custody after a man and a woman were slashed by a knife-wielding robber outside the Entry Program in the 300 block of Portage Avenue on Thursday.

The married couple -- he is 38, and she is 34 -- are both students at the Entry Program, a four-week course in survival for immigrants and refugees who have recently arrived in Canada. They were attacked when they went outside during a break at about 7:15 p.m., said a source close to the couple. The thief stole the woman's purse and when her husband tried to get it back, both the man and woman were slashed with the knife.

"The woman had minor injuries but her husband was bleeding badly and was taken to hospital by ambulance," said the source who described the attack as "very sad, scary and unfortunate." The concern now is how the victims will be able to afford the ambulance bill "which would add insult to injury."

Winnipeg police spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen said the couple was initially approached Thursday evening by a man offering to sell them stolen items. "They declined." Then the man demanded their property, attacked them and caused "non-life-threatening injuries." People in the area at the time who heard the commotion called police and tried to help, said Michalyshen.

"They assisted and were able to retrieve some of the property" taken from the couple, he said. Paramedics helped the couple with their injuries, said Michalyshen.

Police patrol units and the K-9 united responded and located a suspect nearby, the police spokesman said. A 36-year-old man is in custody facing several charges including aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and uttering threats.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca