Victim identified in record-tying 44th homicide of year
Posted November 1, 2022 12:47 pm.
Winnipeg police have confirmed the man found unresponsive in Elmwood – who died in hospital – is being investigated as a homicide.
It’s the 44th homicide in Winnipeg this year, tying the record set in 2019.
Police say they found the unresponsive man on Johnson Avenue West near Henderson Highway around 2:30 a.m. Monday.
He was transported to hospital in critical condition, where he died.
On Tuesday, WPS identified the victim as 47-year-old Winnipeg man William Markowski.
“Prior to 2019, we averaged about 20 to 25 homicides a year,” said Const. Jay Murray. “In 2019, we saw really an unprecedented rise in violence in the city. We finished that year with 44 homicides. Since then, we now average about 40 to 45 homicides. I believe, with the homicide on Halloween, we’re now on pace for 50.
“That’s a substantial number. There really is no common denominator when it comes to homicide.”
Murray says the number of homicides going up is indicative of the rising violence in Winnipeg.
“We’ve tried to keep that number down, but there are a lot of societal issues that drive the homicide counts as well.”
