Man stabbed outside shelter dies days later, manslaughter charges laid

A violent altercation outside Winnipeg’s largest homeless shelter turned fatal days later, leaving staff and community members mourning the loss of a man who was well known to them.

Police were called to Siloam Mission around 10:30 a.m. Saturday Oct. 17 after a fight broke out in the shelter’s parking lot on the 300 block of Stanley Street, leaving a 31-year-old man with stab wounds.

Officers found the man in critical condition and rushed him to hospital, where he remained until his death on Tuesday Oct. 20.

On Monday, police identified the victim as Jereth Joseph James Clarke, a member of Norway House Cree Nation who had been staying in Winnipeg.

“We knew the victim; he was well known to us and cared for by Siloam. He will be dearly missed,” Lisa Cefali, Siloam’s interim CEO, told the Free Press. “This is not a typical occurrence at Siloam.”

Christopher Fosseneuve, 42, was initially charged with aggravated assault and failing to comply with a probation order. The aggravated assault charge was upgraded to manslaughter Monday. He remains in custody.

An email sent to staff earlier this week confirmed Clarke’s death and said he had family by his side.

“We are now focused on supporting our team with onsite counselling and spiritual care and we have been in contact with the victims family to offer our support as well,” Cefali said. “Siloam continues to remain safe, respectful and focused on needs.”

The email said counselling and support services had been available to staff throughout the week, including grief counsellors who were on hand Saturday and scheduled to return Monday.

“We want to commend our staff, WPS and WFPS for responded swiftly and appropriately, as was expected,” Cefali said.

Winnipeg police’s homicide unit has taken over the investigation.

A man who spoke to the Free Press in Siloam’s parking lot Monday said he was friends with Clarke.

“He was a young guy,” said the man, who declined to give his name.

He said Clarke and the accused had been involved in another altercation the day before the stabbing, and suggested the violence was the result of both individuals experiencing psychosis.

Another man, Joseph, who knew Clarke but did not witness the stabbing, said violence is not a common occurrence outside the shelter, although much depends on who is in the area.

“It’s not too dangerous, but there are often gang members around,” he said. “The only issues I’ve ever had is people being out of it. People getting stabbed? It happens sometimes.”

Joseph, who said he had been in and out of jail before spending 18 months in Siloam’s addictions recovery program, described a community where many people are struggling with addiction, trauma and loss.

“It’s really complicated to pinpoint every individual,” he said. “It’s not black and white. It’s a lot more in-depth. You get so sick when you go off of the drugs, and the only way to feel better is to use again.”

Joseph said his sister was murdered in 2017 and his girlfriend died of a fentanyl overdose in 2020.

“And even then, I couldn’t stop doing it,” he said.

He said Siloam’s staff and security guards do their best to maintain safety, but are contending with growing numbers of people seeking help and an increasingly volatile drug supply.

“But people use because of the pain, to get rid of the pain — whether it’s trauma from the past, being abused as a kid, or having those close to you die from overdoses,” he said.

The fatal stabbing comes months after Siloam conducted an internal safety review that produced 11 recommendations aimed at improving security for staff, volunteers and community members.

The report has not been made public, but Cefali said last month some recommendations are easier to implement than others, pointing to improved parking lot lighting and increased security training as examples.

scott.billeck@winnipegfreepress.com