Police have released both suspects from custody in the city’s first homicide of 2017, and published the name of the victim: 34-year-old Damian Ballantyne.
Ballantyne died on Wednesday in a residence at 347 9 Street East. Police arrived at the scene at 1:22 a.m. to assist paramedics but Ballantyne succumbed to his injuries on the scene.
Police launched an investigation and quickly apprehended two suspects. Both have since been released, and police media liaison Sgt. Travis Willie said investigators are still looking for evidence to link them to the crime. He did confirm that the suspects are known to the victim.
“I want to reiterate that we don’t believe there’s any danger to the public,” he said.
Sgt. Willie was not willing to release the name of the suspects, or to reveal the nature of the injuries Ballantyne sustained.
He said he will provide an update to the public as soon as charges are laid.
