January 15th, 2008, 09:25 AM
edmontonsun.ca
A Good Samaritan intervening in a fight outside a northside bar is Edmonton's first homicide of the year.
He died in hospital after an approximate 25-minute wait on the concrete, as bystanders watched for police to arrive, trying in vain to save him.
An ambulance was near the scene but because of policy surrounding violent situations could not attend until there was a police presence.
The melee early on Sunday left the 46-year-old victim on the ground in the parking lot outside the Canadian Brewhouse at 97 Street and 127 Avenue as two servers attempted to save his life.
"Police believe that he was trying to break up the fight," said cop spokesman Patrycia Chalupczynska.
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Investigators are still piecing together the crime, including how many people were involved and whether the fight began inside the nearby pub.
BELIEVED TO NOT BE IN BAR
One of the bar owners, however, doesn't believe the victim had been there.
"We didn't recognize anyone," said Roger Newton, after reviewing video surveillance tape taken that night in the bar.
Newton said two of his employees tried to help the man as he lay on the pavement. After heading outside to find a group of people hunched over the man, one of the waitresses tried to perform CPR on him.
"It's a pretty brave thing for a young girl to do," he said of the 19-year-old server.
Co-owner Matt Woods estimated the bystanders waited for about a half hour for an ambulance to arrive.
"It took forever," said Woods, who got to the scene shortly before paramedics arrived.
But Jim Garland, the acting chief of Edmonton's Emergency Medical Services, said paramedics waited outside the scene for police to arrive to ensure their own safety, something they commonly do when they could be at risk.
Police are now doing an assessment of their own response.
RESOURCES STRETCHED
Slowing their efforts to get to the parking lot were two serious incidents they were dealing with at the same time, said Insp. Brian Lobay.
When bystanders outside the Canadian Brewhouse first called for help at 12:06 a.m., police were also dealing with a major assault and a case in which an officer was in distress. As a result, it wasn't until 12:31 a.m. that paramedics were able to get to the homicide victim.
"It's unfortunate, but when everything happens at the same time, you can only stretch your resources so far," Lobay said, adding he couldn't comment on whether a lack of staffing played a role in the events.
For Woods, the fact his bar is being linked to a homicide is distressing. He was adamant, though, that the business had nothing to do with the killing. "We don't have fights inside at all. I don't even have doormen," he said.
Police, meanwhile, say there was no weapon involved in the killing. An autopsy was to take place on the victim yesterday.
edmontonsun.ca
A Good Samaritan intervening in a fight outside a northside bar is Edmonton's first homicide of the year.
He died in hospital after an approximate 25-minute wait on the concrete, as bystanders watched for police to arrive, trying in vain to save him.
An ambulance was near the scene but because of policy surrounding violent situations could not attend until there was a police presence.
The melee early on Sunday left the 46-year-old victim on the ground in the parking lot outside the Canadian Brewhouse at 97 Street and 127 Avenue as two servers attempted to save his life.
"Police believe that he was trying to break up the fight," said cop spokesman Patrycia Chalupczynska.
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Investigators are still piecing together the crime, including how many people were involved and whether the fight began inside the nearby pub.
BELIEVED TO NOT BE IN BAR
One of the bar owners, however, doesn't believe the victim had been there.
"We didn't recognize anyone," said Roger Newton, after reviewing video surveillance tape taken that night in the bar.
Newton said two of his employees tried to help the man as he lay on the pavement. After heading outside to find a group of people hunched over the man, one of the waitresses tried to perform CPR on him.
"It's a pretty brave thing for a young girl to do," he said of the 19-year-old server.
Co-owner Matt Woods estimated the bystanders waited for about a half hour for an ambulance to arrive.
"It took forever," said Woods, who got to the scene shortly before paramedics arrived.
But Jim Garland, the acting chief of Edmonton's Emergency Medical Services, said paramedics waited outside the scene for police to arrive to ensure their own safety, something they commonly do when they could be at risk.
Police are now doing an assessment of their own response.
RESOURCES STRETCHED
Slowing their efforts to get to the parking lot were two serious incidents they were dealing with at the same time, said Insp. Brian Lobay.
When bystanders outside the Canadian Brewhouse first called for help at 12:06 a.m., police were also dealing with a major assault and a case in which an officer was in distress. As a result, it wasn't until 12:31 a.m. that paramedics were able to get to the homicide victim.
"It's unfortunate, but when everything happens at the same time, you can only stretch your resources so far," Lobay said, adding he couldn't comment on whether a lack of staffing played a role in the events.
For Woods, the fact his bar is being linked to a homicide is distressing. He was adamant, though, that the business had nothing to do with the killing. "We don't have fights inside at all. I don't even have doormen," he said.
Police, meanwhile, say there was no weapon involved in the killing. An autopsy was to take place on the victim yesterday.
