Hopedale victim in St. John's hospital, man charged after RCMP respond to report of murder
Hopedale RCMP say the victim was found unresponsive but alive
One Hopedale man is in custody while another is being treated for serious injuries at a St. John's hospital after the RCMP received a report that a man had been murdered.
Police said the 44-year-old victim was "seriously injured and unresponsive, but was alive" when officers responded to a call that a man had been murdered at a residence in the community Monday.
The man was taken from the home and airlifted to the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's "for urgent medical attention," the RCMP said in a news release Wednesday.
He is "being treated for a number of serious injuries" police said.
RCMP identified an 18-year-old suspect, and arrested him outside the residence without incident shortly after responding to the call. A police spokesperson later confirmed there were other people in the home at the time of the incident.
The man has been charged with aggravated assault. He will appear in court for a bail hearing on May 19, as the investigation continues.
When asked why the man was charged with aggravated assault and not attempted murder, a police spokesperson told CBC "the investigation shows the two were in an argument that turned physical, leaving the victim with serious injuries" and there isn't any evidence that suggests the accused was trying to kill the victim.