Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Man, 34, charged with stabbing teen

A 34-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the stabbing death of a 17-year-old man on the Labour Day long weekend.

Michael Mariak Jok, 17, a Sudanese teen who was set to enter Grade 12 at Miles Macdonnel Collegiate last week, died after being stabbed near a friend's West Broadway apartment last Sunday. He is the city's 20th homicide victim this year.

Maciek Mark, Jok's uncle, said the family learned of the arrest from police just hours before the teen's funeral yesterday.

"They found the suspect and the arrest was made this morning," Mark said on Saturday.

"This is great news. It will bring comfort to the family. We were able to learn this before (Jok) was buried in the ground."

Mark said Jok's mother is so devastated by her son's death that the family took her to hospital after the funeral because she is still in shock.

Winnipeg police said Jok and a 21-year-old man were found near Young Street and Portage Avenue around 5:20 a.m.. Both were rushed to hospital with injuries to their upper bodies.

Police said the two men were walking in that area, near the home of one of Jok's friends, when they began arguing with people in a vehicle. The pair were stabbed after the argument became physical.

The suspects fled, police said.

The 21-year-old was treated for non-life threatening injuries and later released.

Abiola Akintunde Matthews, 34, has been charged with both second-degree murder and attempted murder. He has been detained in custody.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

 

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 13, 2009 A4

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