Teen charged with 2nd-degree murder in death of man found on Salter bridge

A 17-year-old boy has been charged in the death ofa man who was foundinjured on a sidewalk along the Slaw Rebchuk Bridge near Salter Street earlier this month, Winnipeg police say.

Richard Dominic Anthony Contois, 31, was assaultedon May 6and later died in hospital.

The 17-year-old was arrested Tuesday and is now charged with second-degree murder in Contois's death, as well as failing to comply with court conditions and possessing a weapon, police said in a Thursday news release.

The youthis also charged in connection with an assault that took place on Feb. 2 in the 300 block of Charles Street, south of St. John's Avenue.

A man and a woman were taken to hospital in critical condition after that assaultbut were later released, police said.

The teen has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault,as well as breaking and entering, in connection with that case.

An edged weapon was used in all three attacks, according to police.

Investigators say the assaults and the homicide are not connected in any way, and they believe both attacks are random.

"In both instances, the victims did not know the accused,"Const. Rob Carver saidThursday.

"I don't want to say 'random' to suggest that [the accused was] somehow actively looking for victims," said Carver.

"It often is a case of wrong place, wrong time."

Police also say Contois is not relatedanother homicide victim, Rebecca Contois, whose partial remains were found earlier this week near an apartment block on Edison Avenue.