Violent psychiatric patient escapes custody

Police in Manitoba are searching for amanthey describe as a violent psychiatric patient, whoescaped fromcustody in Winnipeg on Wednesday.

Police warn thatEarl Joey Wiebe, 23,has "violent tendencies," andadvise people to use extreme caution andcall 911 or the Selkirk RCMP immediately if they see him.

He is described as six feet tall and slim, with short blond hair. He was wearing a blue starter T-shirt, grey track pants with a white stripe and white running shoes.

Theresidentat the Selkirk Mental Health Centre's four-bed high-security wing escaped from two escortsin themorning while on a medical appointment at theHealth Sciences Centre. He was last seen running southbound on Sherbrook Avenue.

In 2000, Wiebe was found not criminally responsible for killing his stepmother, Candis Moizer, in 2000. He slit Moizer's throat and set her bedroom on fire.

Staff followed procedure: health centre CEO

Ken Nattras, CEO of the Selkirk Mental Health Centre, said Thursday his staff was following procedure when they took Wiebe out for a medical appointment.

While Wiebe is still considered to be violent, he was not wearing any handcuffs or other restraints when he was taken to the Health Sciences Centre.

"The manner in which Mr. Wiebe was conveyed to the Health Sciences Centre was in keeping with our practice that has been in place for many, many years, and has been a practice that has been without incident until yesterday," Nattras said.

Provincial Tory justice critic Kelvin Goertzen said Thursday the province should make immediate changes to how high-risk mental patients are transported, as a result of Wiebe's escape.

Goertzen said it was difficult to understand how a person who has murdered someone can be allowed to walk into one of the busiest hospitals in Winnipeg without any security restraints.