Slaying victim moved to Winnipeg to ‘broaden horizons’: Stepmother

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This article was published 15/07/2019 (2435 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The stepmother of Winnipeg’s 25th homicide victim of the year said he had just moved to Winnipeg from The Pas “to make something of his life.”

Police identified the victim as 27-year-old Christopher Helstrom.

“He moved to Winnipeg to broaden his horizons, make something of his life,” said his stepmother, Tracy Gallagher, in The Pas.

Officers were called to an apartment complex on the 600 block of Flora Avenue at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday after receiving a report a man had been assaulted in the hallway of the building. Officers discovered Helstrom suffering from injuries that police haven’t disclosed.

He was transported to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. One man was taken into custody Monday in connection with the slaying but no charges have been laid. He was a resident of the building where Helstrom was staying, Winnipeg police spokesman Cons. Rob Carver said.

Gallagher said her stepson was happy to have found an apartment on Flora Avenue, where he was assaulted and later died.

“He was literally in the wrong place at the wrong time,” she said.

On Monday morning, Carver, the police spokesman, said he couldn’t discuss the nature of the assault or whether a weapon was involved

Helstrom left The Pas on June 28, just days before his 27th birthday, wanting to live closer to his mom and siblings and find a job, Gallagher said.

He heard of the apartment on Flora and called home to his dad and stepmom on Thursday night, excited to tell them he’d found a new place. Gallagher said the homicide happened on the second or third night he was staying there.

“We’re looking for answers,” Gallagher said. “There has been an arrest made, it doesn’t make things better. Lots of anger and lots of tears, frustration, wishing we would have kept him here.”

Gallagher described him as a young man constantly trying out new looks and figuring things out. He didn’t know many people in Winnipeg — besides a few friends who had moved from The Pas and family in the Interlake area.

“He’s a wonderful kid, he had a very big heart and he would do anything for anyone,” Gallagher said.

“Hug your children a lot tighter and don’t let them go. Anything can happen in a heartbeat.”

Linda Michelle, who manages The Pas’ Bear Clan, said Helstrom walked with them a few times since the community started its patrol in April.

“He had a passion for volunteering. He was a kind soul, and it was a pleasure to walk with him,” Michelle said.

Winnipeg police said the investigation is ongoing, and police are asking anyone with information about the homicide to call investigators at 204-986-6508 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477.

The slaying is the first in Winnipeg in roughly three weeks. The last one happened June 19.

So far, 2019 has been a busy year for the WPS homicide unit, which has been hit with a high number of cases.

Winnipeg only saw 22 homicides last year. The highest number of killings recorded in a single calendar year in Winnipeg was 41 in 2011.

– with files from Carol Sanders, Ryan Thorpe

tessa.vanderhart@freepress.mb.ca