Fatal stabbing at Millennium Library started with argument: police

Three teens are facing charges in the death of a man who was killed after an argument escalated to a stabbing at the Millennium Library over the weekend.

The incident took place on Sunday, with police responding to the report of a stabbing inside the library in downtown Winnipeg.

Officers with Winnipeg Police Service went to the scene and found a man in critical condition. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The victim has been identified as Tyree Cayer, a 28-year-old Winnipeg man.

His death is the city’s 51st homicide of the year.

"What the homicide investigators have learned was that there was a verbal dispute between this victim and this group of youths,” Const. Claude Chancy told CTV News, adding Cayer and the group of suspects did not know each other.

Police allege that during this assault, one of the suspects stabbed Cayer.

The suspects left the scene before police arrived.

Investigators identified and arrested three suspects. A 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy, who are both from Winnipeg, are facing the charge of manslaughter. A 14-year-old boy from Winnipeg is facing a charge of second-degree murder.

“Future arrest or arrests are anticipated so that investigation is still ongoing," Chancy said.

CAYER MOURNED BY COMMUNITY

Cayer is being remembered by members of the community.

“Tyree Cayer was an exceptional football player and a solid citizen in our school who was proud to be a Giant during his high school career a decade ago," Michael Babb, Cayer's Elmwood High School Principal said in a statement to CTV.

Babb and Cayer's former football coach head football coach with the Elmwood Giants, Nathan Falk, both say their thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and former teammates. Falk says he was an exceptional athlete.

"I believe he still holds the WHSFL Currie Division record for most points in a season," Falk said in a statement to CTV. "One of the memories of Tyree Cayer was his 80-yard touchdown run with no time left on the clock to win what I believe was Elmwood's first-ever football playoff game." 

'IT'S TRAUMATIC FOR EVERYBODY' ADVOCATE SAYS

Mitch Bourbonniere, a community outreach worker with Downtown Community Safety Partnership, said the homicide is felt by all.

''It’s traumatic for everybody,” he said. “This incident, when I heard about it, my heart broke."

He says more people going downtown will help make the area safer. The area’s city councillor, Sherri Rollins, agrees.

"It's a beloved library,” she said, adding her heart sunk when she heard of the stabbing. “The perception and the work of community safety has to continue."

Rollins said trauma support will be given to library staff.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call 204-986-6508 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477.