Winnipeg police searching for male suspect in fatal stabbing of Indigenous teen

A vigil was held Monday evening in honour of a 14-year-old Indigenous girl who was stabbed to death last week.

Family, friends and the community gathered to mourn and remember the teen who was attacked and stabbed downtown Friday afternoon.

"Every time I hear of another woman, girl, two-spirit person, Indigenous person, being lost, it's very heart-wrenching, heartbreaking. It happens too frequently, it's happening too much," said Heidi Spence, the director of the MKO MMIWG Liaison Unit, who added it is especially hard to hear the news considering how young the girl was.

She said she was at the vigil to show support for all who knew the girl.

During a news conference Monday afternoon, police Chief Danny Smyth said investigators are looking for three people.

"We are currently looking for a male suspect and two other young female witnesses that the victim was with before the attack," said Smyth.

He said the attack was very unexpected.

"One of the young people she was with suddenly turned on her and stabbed her," said Smyth.

Police are not naming the girl because under the Youth Criminal Justice Act police are not allowed to identify the victim or potential suspects. But they noted she lived in Winnipeg and had been reported missing on a number of occasions.

Investigators believe the girl knew the person who attacked her.

Smyth said when officers arrived at the scene Friday, the girl was treated with a chest seal before the ambulance arrived.

She was taken to hospital and underwent emergency surgery, but died from her injuries.

Police said three people ran from the scene before officers arrived.

EXPERTS CALLING FOR MORE SUPPORTS FOR YOUTH

Experts say the brazen daytime stabbing speaks to the lack of support and services in place to tackle youth crime and violence.

"We really need to double, triple down, on preventative measures, if you want to see any progress or eradication on this level of violence," said Melanie Murchison, who is a criminology and sociology instructor at the University of Manitoba.

Some preventive measures being put forward by community advocates include funding recreational programs.

"If there's something interesting for (kids) to do, they'll do it. If not, they'll be wandering around downtown with knives in the afternoon instead of going to school," said Sel Burrows, a crime prevention advocate.

Kent Dueck, the executive director and founder of Inner City Youth Alive, said spots for support for youth are scarce.

"At the very time that we're seeing an increase in crime, we're reducing the space where people, young people who are caught up in violence, can be contained and cared for," said Dueck.

Smyth said police have increased their presence downtown, but experts feel more needs to be done.

"You can put more boots on the ground, but that money is going to be much more better spent investing in our youth and investing in resources that can support them going forward," said Murchison.

- With files from The Canadian Press