Victim of stabbing at The Forks had just moved to Winnipeg from Ukraine
A Ukrainian refugee living in Winnipeg for two weeks was the victim of a Canada Day stabbing at The Forks.
Julya Zan and Jorge Torres decided to go for a late-night drive to The Forks on July 1 when they saw cars swerving around a waving pedestrian.
"And when we saw, we were like hey, this guy is actually bleeding. So we pulled over. We ran over to him, and we saw he said he'd been stabbed in the neck and we said, ‘Sit down and lie down,’" said Torres.
Torres tried to comfort the man, who had a knife still in his neck, while Zan called 911.
Zan, who speaks Ukrainian, then stepped in to help translate. The couple learned the victim and his friend were recent immigrants fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"July 1 was their two weeks in Manitoba, and they said today we have just found the apartment, and we moved downtown, and this is our first night out, which is going for a walk to The Forks to celebrate Canada Day," recalled Zan.
Zan said the victims explained that they were crossing the street when they bumped into another group. They attempted to turn around and apologize, but had trouble doing so because they didn’t speak the language.
They then said they saw one of the men pull out bear spray, and were subsequently assaulted.
In a call with CTV News, the Winnipeg Police Service confirmed one man was stabbed and the other sprayed with bear mace. Officers said the investigation is ongoing.
On Sunday morning, Zan took the friend to see the other victim in hospital.
"They said that we can come to visit him after 9 a.m. in the morning, and we took the friend, picked him up from downtown, drove him to the emergency room at St. Boniface [Hospital]," said Zan.
According to Zan, the man that was stabbed is awake and undergoing treatment.
Zan said the Ukrainians are unsure where they will go or what they will do now, but feel it's unsafe here.
The couple is now calling on Winnipeggers to act more quickly to help others, and for something to be done about violent crime in the city.
"For me, the reason why I'm kind of upset is because it's just embarrassing to our city, you know, and the fact that it happened to these people," said Torres.
These assaults come after two violent incidents earlier in the week at The Forks.
Winnipeg police reported an attack in the parking lot on Monday night, resulting in the assault of a father and daughter.
A few days later, police said two men with stab wounds were found outside The Forks Market on Wednesday. A woman was also treated for minor injuries.
- With files from CTV's Kayla Rosen.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.