A man originally from Nunavut has been identified as the city’s latest homicide victim.
Winnipeg Police Service officers responded to the area of Portage Avenue and Arlington Street after a call about an injured man just before 2:30 a.m. Sunday, where they found the victim bleeding on the ground.
Police gave him first aid, including applying a chest seal — a bandage typically used on puncture wounds to the chest — but he was pronounced dead in hospital.
BEN WALDMAN / FREE PRESSJack Jacques Kabluitok, 46, was slain in the area of Portage Avenue and Arlington Street at about 2:20 a.m. on Sunday.
Police said Monday the victim was Jack Jacques Kabluitok, 46, of Rankin Inlet. He was staying in Winnipeg, police said.
Nastania Mullin, the CEO of the Manitoba Inuit Association, said Kabluitok had used the organization’s food hamper service sporadically over the past four years. He said Kabluitok had been noted as homeless in the association’s records.
Mullin said he was not sure how long Kabluitok had been in Winnipeg, adding the victim has some relatives in the city.
“He was an unfortunate Inuk, living on the streets here, that’s my understanding,” said Mullin. “We’re working with the Winnipeg police, we’re working with the family about what we can do to assist with this time of grieving… we’re trying to best to support the Inuit community with how we can move forward and help the family.”
Mullin said the Inuit community in Winnipeg is tight-knit. He said the association wants to find ways to identify Inuit in vulnerable situations in the city to provide better supports and services.
“It’s times like this that really say, ‘What can we do to assist Inuit, vulnerable Inuit,’” said Mullin. “It’s an Inuit falling through the cracks in Winnipeg.”
Winnipeg police spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen said he had little further information he could release Monday, including whether detectives believe a weapon was used in the assault.
“We’ve been actively seeking out surveillance footage in the area — there are a lot of businesses — and although it was early morning hours, as always, we’re requesting the public’s assistance,” said Michalyshen.
“We’re just not ready to paint a detailed picture at this point… but we’re definitely moving the investigation forward.”
The spokesman did not know what Kabluitok was doing in the area at the time.
Kabluitok’s death marks the 14th homicide in Winnipeg this year. Police include the 2023 deaths of two infants in their internal statistics, as arrests were made in 2024.
On Monday morning, an unmarked police vehicle sat parked on Arlington Street, just south of Portage Avenue.
Late Sunday morning, police crime scene tape blocked the lane behind the north side of Portage Avenue, where blood spatter was marked with chalk on the ground. Blood was also spattered on the southwest sidewalk of Portage Avenue, at the corner with Arlington Street.
Michalyshen said police needed to block off a large crime scene on Sunday as forensics investigators combed through the area.
“We’re probably looking at multiple locations, or it could be — I’m just saying in general terms — that the victim, suspect or suspects were in one location but maybe the incident occurred at another,” said Michalyshen.
Police have asked anyone with information on Kabluitok’s killing, including possible video, to call detectives at 204-986-6508 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477.
erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca ‘
Erik Pindera
Reporter
Erik Pindera reports for the city desk, with a particular focus on crime and justice.