|
Written by editor
|
|
Sunday, June 28 2009, 10:32 PM |
Pamela Roth
LETHBRIDGE HERALD
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Two18-year-old men are in Mounties’ custody in connection with an apparent stabbing in Magrath Saturday morning that claimed the life of a 29-year-old man.
Mounties were called to a residence on 1 Street around 2 a.m. Saturday morning to find one man suffering from apparent stab wounds. Another man, 25, was located a short distance away suffering from a head injury.
The 29-year-old died in an ambulance on the way to Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge, police said. The other man was treated for his head injury and released.
Police believe the men are former residents of Magrath and are not releasing the identity of the deceased man until an autopsy has been completed.
Investigators are still trying to piece together exactly what happened as they continue to interview witnesses from that fateful night. It’s believed there was an altercation at a residence where there had been a gathering of several people.
News of the homicide began to spread immediately throughout the town of about 2,200, who are still trying to come to grips with how a gruesome crime could have happened in their community. Rumours about what exactly happened began to filter in through the doors of the salon belonging to Barb Broadhead, who lives just up the street from the residence where the altercation took place.
Like many residents in the tiny town, Broadhead was shocked when she heard of a homicide in Magrath and didn’t believe the news. In the 10 years she has lived in the town, a murder is something she never thought would happen.
“It’s just devastating for our little town to have that. We just thought, ‘You got to be joking. That can’t be our community.’ ”
“But after you heard it a few times, you realize this really did happen,” said Broadhead, who saw police at the residence all day on Saturday while the road was barricaded and blocked off.
“Everybody knows everybody here. We all take care of each other. It’s a safe community.”
Alyssa Tait, 17, said she only knew the first name of the man who died and had seen him around town a few times. She, and some of the friends who knew him, are still shaken by what happened.
“I was just scared that it was someone I knew. Then finding out it is someone I know was really scary,” said Tait, who was at a group camp outside of the town the night of the stabbing. “Everyone in that camp was horrified. I kept asking to make sure it was in Magrath because I was so shocked.”
An autopsy is expected to take place at the Calgary Medical Examiner’s Office today.
Late last night, police said Kristian Ramberg was charged with assault with a weapon and Addison Wakefield was charged with murder.
Ramberg was released with conditions and is to appear in Lethbridge Provincial Court on July 8. Wakefield has been remanded in custody to appear in Lethbridge Provincial Court on July 2.
|
|
Last Updated ( Monday, June 29 2009, 8:57 AM )
|
