Police identify Barrhaven stabbing victim, charge suspect

One person is dead and a man is in custody following a homicide in Barrhaven on Friday evening. CTV’s Kimberley Johnson reports.

The Ottawa Police Service has identified the victim of a homicide that happened Friday night in Barrhaven.

Police say the victim is 27-year-old Kole Warren Watanabe.

The suspect was identified as 29-year-old Munyaradzi Gonouya of Ottawa. He was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

Gonouya appeared in court Saturday morning.

Police say they received a call around 8:10 p.m. to an area on Longfields Drive. When officers arrived at the scene, they found a person with life-threatening injuries. Police say he succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter.

Ottawa police acting deputy inspector Bryan Samuel confirms Watanabe was stabbed following an altercation that “spilled into the street.”

Officers and police tape were seen inside a house on Saturday morning.

A resident who lives near the homicide scene told CTV News Ottawa she was home when the incident happened.

“We heard some screaming outside. We didn’t really realize what was happening. Then we looked out, and there’s already the police. There was a bus that stopped, a bunch of cars,” Uliana Carunas said.

Carunas says she saw police trying to save his life on the street.

“They covered him with a sheet and later on with, like, a tent,” she added.

This homicide marks the fifth in the city and the second in Barrhaven since the beginning of the year.

“I don’t think that’s reflective of what Barrhaven is like as a whole,” said Greg Rogers who lives on the same street where the incident happened.

“Definitely a bit of a shock, a surprise.”

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call police at 613-236-1222, extension 5493, or leave a tip anonymously at crimestoppers.ca.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Kimberley Johnson