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Bullen Ambassa, 33, was stabbed to death on March 25th, 2011.

Ambassa was Edmonton's 14th homicide victim of the year.

Jeil Simon, 23, was charged with second-degree murder.

Police charged a man with second-degree murder in connection with Edmonton's 14th homicide of 2011 after a serious assault took place on the city's north side.

At about 10:00 p.m. on Friday, March 25th, North Division patrol officers responded to a report of an altercation at the Village Acres apartment complex near 67th Street and 130th Avenue.

It appeared a man and woman, who police said were known to each other, had become involved in a fight.

"The male was taken to hospital with serious injuries," Sgt. Pat McCormack said. "At this time we're not able to confirm how serious."

The 33-year-old man died shortly after 11:00 p.m. in hospital.

Investigators arrested a man and a woman at the scene who were taken into custody for questioning.

A dog team and the Air Two helicopter were brought in to assist in the search for a man seen running out of the building.

The fight occurred in the hallway and inside one of the suites on the third floor, McCormack said.

Police walked through the three-storey buildings Friday night, interviewing residents.

No charges were laid at the time as homicide detectives took over the investigation.

Reports indicated the man had been stabbed – read more »

A woman on the second floor heard a lot of banging just after 9:30 p.m., saying it sounded like somebody was moving furniture around.

"The wall was shaking," she said.

Neighbours heard police arrive and then saw a man being carried out on a stretcher.

The woman thought the man might be a young Sudanese man who seemed polite, apologising for the frequent parties held in his suite.

She said he had lived there for only a couple of months.

"He seemed friendly," she said. "I feel sorry, very sorry."

Tenant Donald Deck said the death was surprising but not unexpected, saying the east Balwin-area complex had been deteriorating in recent years.

"This place is sliding downhill," he said.

Deck noted the building was the same one that Corrine "Punky" Gustavson lived in when she was abducted.

The six-year-old was scooped from her yard on September 6th, 1992, while outside playing with a friend. Her body was found two days later in a trucking yard in southeast Edmonton, dressed except for her shoes.

In 2003, DNA evidence led police to charging Clifford Matthew Sleigh with rape and first-degree murder. He received a life sentence.

"I've been living here for 26 years," Deck said. "There is always petty crime going on, but nothing like this."

A 15-year resident said she also noticed a steady deterioration in recent years.

"It's pretty scary," Leona Pederson said. "The first thing that came to my mind is that it might be drug-related. There are a lot of drugs here, and that's worrisome."

The site of Friday's homicide was about a block away from where the body of Nasir Mohamad Said was found by construction workers renovating Balwin School.

The 22-year-old Somali man from Toronto, facing numerous criminal charges in Ontario and Fort McMurray, was shot on September 16th, 2008, in connection with what police believed were drug-related matters.

Said's death also marked the beginning of a trend in northern Alberta: the slaying of a high number of young men with roots in the Horn of Africa.

A $40,000 reward for information regarding Said's death remains unclaimed.

Forensics staff remained at the scene throughout the next day.

"At this point in time, investigators are still trying to determine why this altercation had taken place and are looking, obviously, for a motive," a police spokesman said.

On Sunday, police announced thay had charged 23-year-old Jeil Simon with second-degree murder.

Simon also faced a charge of possession of a weapon. Initial reports had indicated the man's age as 40.

Investigators did not indicate what the relationship was between the two men.

An autopsy conducted Monday determined that 33-year-old Bullen Ambassa had died from stab wounds.

The Sudanese man's murder had some predicting Edmonton would regain a title it once held in 2005 as the murder capital of Canada – see the March 26 update of the Last Link Why edmonton? - the early-2011 murder rate page.

While at the time the official tally for 2011 stood at 14, police said that didn't count the number of close calls.

"I tell you right now we could have double if it wasn't for the great work of paramedics," veteran homicide detective Bill Clark said.

"We're seeing shootings and stabbings and guys that are on life support."

Even Edmonton mayor Stephen Mandel felt compelled to make comment in light of the most recent murder.

"It boggles my mind to think that people are solving their problems with a knife or a gun," he said.

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