Amid host of violent weekend incidents, 4 men charged in Saskatoon's 13th homicide of 2019
2 injured people found, 2 officers attacked by knife-wielding man in separate incidents
The Saskatoon Police Service has charged four men with manslaughter in the city's 13th homicide of 2019.
The accused, who range in age from 21 to 37, are also charged with breaking and entering and common assault with a weapon.
Police were called after 5 a.m. CST Saturday to a home on the 100 block of Howell Avenue. They found a 31-year-old man and took him to hospital, where he later died.
An autopsy is set to take place Monday. The four men were scheduled to appear before a justice of the peace on Sunday.
Police said several people at the home gave interviews and helped the investigation.
Public not at risk, police say
"Investigators do not believe that this incident was random in nature or that the public are at risk as a result," according to a police update issued Sunday.
Saskatoon Police Chief Troy Cooper has repeatedly said a gang war is not to blame for the city's spike in homicides this year, though he said some of the first 12 cases of 2019 shared elements of drugs and gang activity.
Saskatoon recorded 13 homicides last year, including four deaths resulting from cocaine that was allegedly laced with fentanyl.
Saturday's death means the 2019 homicide count ties the tally for 2018, with three months still left in the year.
A shooting, a Tasering and an injured man
Even without the homicide, Saturday was a busy day for the police service, according to a steady stream of police incident reports.
At 1:30 p.m., police were called to the 300 block of 5th Avenue N where they found an injured 23-year-old woman. She was taken to hospital with undisclosed injuries.
A neighbour shared video of the police response after they heard shots being fired. If you are a resident of 5th Avenue who has video of this incident, or witnessed it in any way, please get in touch. My DMs are open. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/yxe?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#yxe</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/yxecrime?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#yxecrime</a> <a href="https://t.co/Fl0Mq0dQ1g">pic.twitter.com/Fl0Mq0dQ1g</a>
—@_MorganModjeskiAn eyewitness told CBC News that he saw a man wearing a blue top and black rolled-up pants or shorts fire several shots at a car as it was leaving a 5th Avenue apartment building.
At 6 p.m., police found an injured man on the 1700 block of 20th Street W. No other details about the man were released.
Police said they expected to issue an update on that case Monday.
Knife attack against officers
Later in the evening, at about 8:25 p.m., police Tasered a man who allegedly came at officers with a knife on the 2200 block of 17th Street W.
Officers were responding to a 911 call from that address.
When they arrived, the man was reportedly in the yard armed with a knife. He's now charged with two counts of assaulting a police officer with a weapon.
The police service's major crimes unit is investigating both the Howell Avenue homicide and the case of the injured man on 20th Street W.
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with files from Morgan Modjeski