Calgary police have laid a second-degree murder charge following a fatal stabbing in the East Village that has pushed the city's homicide count to 15 for the year.
Officers were called to the 500 block of Seventh Avenue S.E. around 7 p.m. on Friday after reports of an armed assault. Investigators determined that two men known to each other became involved in a physical altercation, resulting in one man suffering fatal wounds. The suspect fled the scene before police arrived.
The victim was identified Tuesday following an autopsy as Lionel Fontem Essembieng, 31, a Calgary resident.
Investigation Underway
Newton Kioi Ng'ang'a, 28, of Calgary, has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the incident. He is scheduled to appear in Calgary court on October 14.
Police say the two men had a history of previous confrontations, though the specific motive behind Friday's deadly encounter remains unclear. Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances leading up to the stabbing as they build their case.
"We believe there was prior conflict between these individuals," a Calgary Police Service spokesperson said, noting that detectives are still piecing together the sequence of events that night.
The stabbing marks Calgary's 15th homicide in 2026, reflecting an ongoing public safety concern for residents across the city.
This article is based on reporting from CBC Calgary.