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Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Woman died of severe upper body injuries in city's first homicide

Eritrean community grieving death

By: Aldo Santin

Posted: 01/24/2012 6:17 AM | Last Modified: 01/24/2012 12:02 PM | Updates

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Enlarge Image

A woman is removed from the 300-block of Assiniboine Avenue Monday.

WINNIPEG -- City police have confirmed detectives are investigating Winnipeg's first homicide of 2012.

A 34-year-old woman was found badly injured in a suite in the 300 block of Assiniboine Avenue on Monday night. She was conveyed to hospital in critical condition but later died of severe upper body injuries.

She has been identified as a member of the Eritrean community, but the name of the victim isn't being released.

The Winnipeg Police Service homicide unit is investigating how the woman died. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact investigators at 986-6508 or Crime Stoppers at 786-TIPS (8477).

Lambros Kyriakakos, president of Eritrean Community In Winnipeg Inc., said the dead woman had arrived in Winnipeg only recently.

"Something very tragic has happened," Kyriakakos said today. "We're trying to support the victim and her family."

The woman was found in a suite at Palmer House at 372 Assiniboine Ave.

Friends and family of the victim have been gathering at the Eritrean community centre, located at the corner of Hargrave Street and Ellice Avenue.

"We have offered the centre to the family and their friends to help them through the grieving process and help them understand what happened," Kyriakakos said.

Kyriakakos said he would not identify the dead woman, adding that will be a decision of the family.