Calgary stabbing charges pending after 2 women killed in Penbrooke

Second-degree murder and aggravated assault charges are pending following the deaths of two women in a stabbing attack in Calgary.

The victims are thought to be the estranged wife of the suspectand her close friend, say police.

A woman ran out of a home insoutheast Calgary screaming and covered in blood Sunday evening.Neighbours tried to give her medical assistance, but she was taken to hospitalwhere she was declared dead.

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Another woman, whopolice say theybelieve is the estranged wife of the suspect, was found dead in the doorway of the home. Her identity has not yet been released.

Autopsy results were released Monday afternoon for FahmidaVelji-Visram, 29, the woman who had run out of the house.

It's been determined that she died from stab wounds. Autopsy results for the other dead womanare pending.

Athird woman was taken to hospital in non-life-threatening condition, but has since been released. She isreported to be the daughter of the landlord who lives in the upstairs of the house. She had gone down to investigate the commotion.

Officers arrested a male suspect near the scene and took him to hospital, suspecting he had ingested an unknown substance.

'So shocking to see'

Ebenezer Choebefu, a neighbour who knew the people living in the house, told CBC News he and his wife witnessed the horrible scene as it unfolded.

He said a young girl from the house ran over to them.

There had been an argument, but Choebefu said they didn't ask the girl what it was about because it was so traumatic.

"I haven't been able to sleep. Iknew them very well," saidChoebefu.

"Such friendly people. So shocking to see, he said.

NeighbourLeon Kemp was driving by with his daughter when he saw the commotion.

"I said to my daughter, this just does not look normal, we're stopping here," said Kemp.

"I thought she had been hit by a car, but it didn't explain all the blood."

Police said they don't believe the attacks were random.

The stabbings appear to have happened in a basement suite, according to Choebefu.

Police said they werecalled to the home on April 9 because of anargument, but no charges were laid.

The city is still reeling from last month's stabbing attack in the Brentwood area that killed five people.