VANCOUVER ISLAND

Suspicious death in Port Alberni now a homicide, RCMP say

Ian Holliday CTVNewsVancouver.ca Journalist

Published Sunday, March 28, 2021 1:06PM PDT Last Updated Sunday, March 28, 2021 5:02PM PDT

The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police "E" Division Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., on April 13, 2018.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

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VANCOUVER -- Police in Port Alberni say they have identified the man found dead in the city Saturday morning and now believe he was killed.

Officers were called to the 3500 block of 4th Avenue to assist BC Emergency Health Services, Port Alberni RCMP said in a news release.

When officers arrived, they found a deceased man on the sidewalk, police said, adding that they have identified the man as a 20-year-old from Port Alberni and the Ahousat area. They did not release the man's name.

Police said the man was found with stab wounds on his chest.

“We have finished processing the crime scene, but we are still asking the public for their assistance," said Port Alberni RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Clayton Wiebe in the news release.

"If anyone was in the area at approximately 6:30 a.m. on March 27 or may have witnessed this incident, please call us,” Wiebe added.

Police said their investigation is ongoing, but they believe the victim and the suspect knew each other. They said they do not believe there is any ongoing risk to the public.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information about it should call Port Alberni RCMP at 250-723-2424, police said.