"Just because they're young doesn't mean they're not violent," Winnipeg police spokesman Sgt. Kelly Dennison said. "The violence some of these young kids are involved in is not only a threat to the public, but to the police as well."

"People tend to think gangs are a problem of the city," he said. "In Manitoba, gangs have their roots in native communities."

"They use terror tactics," [Jeff Wilson] said. "For a small-knit community it's disastrous. If it was in Winnipeg it would affect just a small pocket. On a reserve it affects everybody."