Winnipeg police say a homicide and a fire in the same building eight hours apart do not appear to be connected.
Police say they responded to a call for a man who was “unresponsive” in a residence located on the 200 block of Fountain Street in the city centre just after 3 a.m. Saturday. Officers administered emergency care to the 43-year-old before he was taken to hospital in critical condition. He was pronounced dead in hospital.
Hours earlier, fire crews responded to a fire in the same building.
Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said at 7 p.m. Friday, they were called to a fire in a suite in the two-storey apartment building. They were alerted by a WFPS crew who was on scene for an unrelated medical call. Fire crews put out the fire, which was contained to the unit. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
On Saturday, Winnipeg police Cst. Jason Michalyshen said there “does not appear to be any relation or link” between the fire and the homicide “at this point in time.” The two incidents appear to have occured in different suites, he said.
Michalyshen said he could not comment on the nature of the man’s injuries due to the ongoing investigation. Police have not yet released the man’s name as they are in the process of notifying his family, he said.
The homicide unit is investigating and anyone with information or video that may help investigators is asked to call Winnipeg police’s homicide unit at 204-986-6508, Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS or submit a report online at winnipegcrimestoppers.org.
This is Winnipeg’s fourth homicide in 2024.
Katrina Clarke
Investigative reporter
Katrina Clarke is an investigative reporter with the Winnipeg Free Press.
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