Homicide investigators are looking for witnesses after a man was gunned down Monday morning in a playground outside a downtown Windsor homeless help centre.
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The victim’s body was discovered in the playground area outside the Homeless and Housing Help Hub (H4), a service centre and drop-in facility at 400 Wyandotte St. East.
Officers responded shortly after 7 a.m. Monday to a call about “unknown trouble” outside the H4 centre, located in the former Windsor Water World facility.
When they arrived, police said the officers discovered an unresponsive man suffering from a gunshot wound.
Police said emergency services personnel performed first aid on the victim and took him to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Without initially confirming what the investigation was about, Windsor police announced on social media Monday morning that the community should stay clear of the area around the 400 block of Wyandotte Street East.
“Please avoid the area until further notice, if possible,” the police Tweet said. “Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
A large portion of the property was cordoned off with a police cruiser sitting in the middle of it.
There were also what appeared to be several bullet casings under police evidence markers on a concrete walkway in front of the building.
One resident, who lives behind the homelessness hub, told the Windsor Star he was woken by what sounded like gunshots earlier in the morning.
The Windsor Police Service’s Major Crimes Unit has taken over the investigation. They are urging anyone with information about the crime to come forward.
Investigators are also asking residents and business owners in the area to review their surveillance camera or dash cam footage for potential evidence. In particular, police said they are looking for footage from between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. Monday.
Anyone with information can call the Major Crimes Unit at 519-255-6700, ext. 4830. To provide anonymous tips, call Windsor & Essex County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or go online to catchcrooks.com.
If you or someone you know is an affected person in need of support, you can call Victim Services Windsor Essex County at 519-723-2711 or the Windsor Police Service’s Victim Assistance Unit at 519-255-6700, ext. 4879.
