The family of 27-year-old Godfrey Hayden is grieving after the father of one was killed in a stabbing Friday.
“Godfrey was a wonderful, kind, loving, caring person. He had a lot of love in his heart for his eight-year-old,” said his mother, Evelyn Hayden, in an online conversation via Facebook.
Hayden said her son had plans to continue with university and finish his engineering degree in Minnesota.
She said her son’s death has been especially hard on her granddaughter.
“She's devastated and sad that she won't be able to see her daddy anymore,” said Hayden.
The mother said she has no idea why anyone would hurt her son, and is praying that whoever did this is brought to justice.
His death marks the fifth homicide in Winnipeg this year.
Godfrey’s sister, Kayla, said the family is trying to come to terms with the loss.
She told CTV her brother was at a friend's house on Selkirk Avenue Friday night with a few other people. She doesn't know how the violence escalated, and said her brother was a good man, and not in a gang.
The family is working on funeral arrangements.
Police said around 10:50 p.m. Friday, emergency crews responded to the 700 block of Selkirk Avenue for a report of a stabbing. Officers provided first aid to a man with serious injuries until paramedics arrived. The man was pronounced dead a short time later.
On Sunday, police confirmed the victim was Godfrey Hayden.
Members of the homicide unit continue to investigate.
Winnipeg police said they have had contact with Godfrey in the past. Interviews are still on-going and an autopsy is pending to confirm the cause of death.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact investigators at 204-986-6508 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).
