Police are investigating after a man was stabbed to death in downtown London.
The London Police Service says on Friday around 11:30pm, a 23-year-old man was stabbed multiple times on Richmond St. between King St. and Dundas St.
Downtown business owner Jim Ferreira witnessed part of the altercation that led to the stabbing. Ferreira, along with his staff and bystanders, did what they could to help the man while they waited for emergency crews to arrive, he says.
Police say the the victim was rushed to hospital by paramedics, but he succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving at London Health Sciences Centre. Police have since identified the victim as Jesse Scott James of London.
After watching the violent attack unfold, Ferreira says he was in a state of disbelief.
"Literately within seconds, I just saw one man take another person's life," he says. "He was having a hard time breathing... that's when myself and my (staff) did everything we could to keep him alive. And all we could think of (to say) was 'fight for your life, you have so much to live for.'"
Ferreira says he later gave police surveillance footage of the violent incident that shows a man and a woman attack the 23-year-old victim. He says the footage depicts a short fight before the man is stabbed several times.
Investigators say they believe this was not a random act.
Police say a man in his 20’s was arrested in relation to incident, but has since been released without charges.
Anyone with information regarding to this homicide investigation is asked to call the London Police Service at (519) 661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
