'I realized that I could die,' girl who escaped hostage situation at Winnipeg home says

'I realized that I could die,' girl who escaped hostage situation at Winnipeg home says

Teen feels 'no hate' for intruder; dad says support for family has 'come together so fast'

A Winnipeg family speaking out for the first time since a man broke into their home, took hostages and started a fire before he was killed by police say they're still in shock.

A 34-year-old man running from officers broke into a home on King Edward Street in Winnipeg's St. James neighbourhood and took three people inside hostage around 11 a.m. on May 29, police said previously.

Ivy Labossiere, 13, says she woke up that morning to the sound of banging and yelling.

"At first, I thought someone fell and got hurt," she told CBC News on Friday. "When I got out, I [saw] him just shooting through the window at the cops."

Ivy says the man grabbed her and one of her siblings, pulling them into the bathroom.

Soon after, the man led her down to the basement with a knife to her back and threatened to kill her if her sibling didn't go upstairs to grab his lighter, she said. Her sibling was taken out of the house by police after going upstairs.

"I realized that I could die [or] I could not die. I didn't know what's going to happen," Ivy said.

She described the intruder as being "more gentle" with her once her sibling went upstairs. He started a fire in the basement while she was down there.

"I begged him to let me go, but he didn't, so I was kind of pacing back and forth, and he grabbed me [and] told me to stay down," she said. "There was like this voice in my head that told me to fake faint."

Ivy said the man left the room after she pretended to faint, and she made a split-second decision to run up the basement stairs through thick smoke.

"I ran up the stairs, and I could feel him chasing me and shooting at me as I was running up."

Teen recounts being held hostage in Winnipeg home by stranger

Seven shots rang out as officers pulled Ivy out of the home, she said.

"I didn't think I was going to see anyone again," Ivy said. "Honestly, it was pretty overwhelming, considering that I escaped on my own."

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba, which is reviewing the incident, said in a news release Monday the wanted man went out the back of the home while "brandishing" a gun. He was shot by police multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene, the release said.

Ivy says she feels guilty for leaving the man behind.

"I wanted to give him a hug," she said. "I wanted him to feel as much comfort as he could, and honestly, my mind's just been racing from him dying and me seeing his, like, blood on the wall, obviously, which really hit something in my heart [and] made me so upset."

The watchdog agency said police believed the 34-year-old was driving a stolen vehicle near CF Polo Park mall and were also told he'd been in possession of a gun earlier in the day.

Police said the man had outstanding warrants. He rammed a police car and drove off when officers tried to stop him shortly before the break-in, the Winnipeg Police Service said. The vehicle was later confirmed to be stolen.

Several minutes later, officers saw the man walking near King Edward Street, and the break-in took place after a brief foot chase.

Jeremy Labossiere, Ivy's father, says he was running errands when he learned something happened at home.

He says the family has a long road ahead of them, as the fire left their house unlivable and they had no renter's insurance. They're staying in a hotel.

Labossiere says his children lost clothes, toys and other items in the fire.

"It's just destroyed, just gone. I don't know. It's bad enough with the tragedy, with taking my kids at gunpoint, and then it's like the fire in the house."

He's grateful to everyone who has shown support, whether through donations or check-ins.

"The neighbours across the street, the whole community has just come together so fast, so quick while your head's still spinning," Labossiere said.

"It happened, and … we just kind of have to kind of come together and move on to the next chapter of our lives."

Ivy says she's less concerned about the lost possessions.

"It's not even about the house anymore, it's about the guy," she said. "I genuinely feel no hate for him whatsoever. I just feel so guilty that he's dead, honestly. I didn't want that to happen at all."