Death of Kaila Tran now a homicide

The death of Kaila Tran, killed in a Winnipeg parking lot on Wednesday, is now officially a homicide, police say.

Her death is the city's 17th homicide of the year.

Tran, 26 was stabbed while near her car in the St. Vital neighbourhood. It happened just after 7 a.m. near Bonita Avenue and Clayton Drive, off St. Anne's Road.

A number of people in the area, which has several apartment buildings, witnessed the attack. They said Tran was screaming as a man assaulted her.

He then ran off toward the nearby Seine River.

Police flooded the area with about a dozen vehicles and a canine unit in a search of the suspect but no arrests have been made.

The suspect is described as being in his early 20s with short dark hair and olive-coloured skin. He has a slim build and is about five feet and six inches to six feet tall.