Edmonton police have laid charges after a 21-year-old man approached and stabbed a man in his early 40s Saturday afternoon.
After some follow-up investigation, 21-year-old Monwat Akool Madood of Edmonton is facing a charge of second degree murder.
"The victim was asleep on the bench," Detective Dale Johnson said of the incident. "He was approached by the suspect and stabbed."
The victim was sleeping on a bench outside the Boyle Street Community Services building on 10116 105 Avenue around 3 p.m. when he was stabbed.
The entire attack was recorded by security cameras mounted on the outside of the Boyle Street Community Services Building.
"It is a very unnerving scenario to play out," Detective Dale Johnson said. "What it does depict does indicate it may be a random act."
The victim was taken to hospital, where he later died.
Police will not release the victim's name until his family has been notified, and an autopsy has been scheduled for August 2.
The death comes after Edmonton's growing homicide rate began to throw a negative light on the city.
This death is the fourth homicide to occur in seven days, and the 33rd in 2011.
City Councillor Kim Krushell said Edmontonians should be looking at the bigger picture, that Edmonton really is a safe city.
"We do have a high murder rate right now, [and] our Chief of Police is taking action," Krushell said. "We have more police on the streets than we did five years ago."
"We are beefing up security; we have peace officers, and transit officers."
However, a local criminologist said the solution to the rising homicide rate is not a simple one.
"Few drug murders, few domestic murders," Criminologist Keith Spencer said. "There isn't a pattern or theme to it that tells you where you can intervene."
With files from Kevin Armstrong
