An RCMP spokesperson has confirmed a homicide has taken place in downtown Duncan.
RCMP spokesperson Dawn Roberts, has confirmed one man has died following a stabbing overnight.
She said police were called out around 3 a.m. July 16 to reports of an injured man downtown. They found the man near Kenneth and Jubilee Streets suffering from stab wounds. The man was taken to Cowichan District Hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
“Police have been able to determine that the deceased is a 33-year-old man from Duncan and efforts are now underway to notify his next of kin,” Roberts said. “Investigators did close off a wide area as it appears the victim moved through the downtown area before being located. We are asking anyone that may have heard or seen what happened or has any information about the incident to please call police.”
There is no ongoing or elevated threat to the public, Roberts had confirmed earlier Saturday morning after people arriving downtown Duncan for the Saturday market arrived downtown to see a significant RCMP presence in the area and an area at the corner of Kenneth and Jubilee streets cordoned off.
The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU) was called and are leading the homicide investigation with the assistance of North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP
Investigators had a large area taped off and blood was visible on the ground, along with a sweatshirt and medical mask. Crime scene tape was also visible between the IDA pharmacy and a medical building on Kenneth Street.
“It looks like someone got stabbed or shot or something,” one witness had told the Citizen.
Evidence markers were placed outside the Service Canada centre, next door to the Cowichan Valley Citizen offices. The trail of evidence markers extends from Service Canada to a parking lot at the corner of Kenneth and Government streets.
The apartments above the cordoned off section are still accessible as is the Citizen office.
“I have nothing to indicate that there’s an additional or greater threat to the public,” Roberts said. “We do have a significant area of Kenneth and Jubilee [blocked off] and we understand its Farmers Market day, to allow us to gather evidence and we recognise that that may be an inconvenience to the public but we are trying to move as efficiently as possible in order to do what we need to do at the scene.”
By mid-afternoon Saturday, investigators had finished up and the scene had been released.
Those with information are asked to contact the VIIMCU information line at 250-380-6211.
