A man is in critical condition following a nighttime assault on the city’s East End.
Officers with the Thunder Bay Police Service responded to reports of a serious assault at about 11 p.m. Sunday. Police arrived in the 800 block of McNaughton Street to find a 36-year-old man on the ground in front of a home.
Paramedics brought the victim to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre where he is now in critical condition.
"It appears there was some sort of party going on at the residence. Alcohol appears to have been one of the factors in this. Some sort of altercation occurred and it escalated into further violence outsid of the building," said police spokesman Chris Adams.
Adams said it was too soon to offer a prognosis on the victim.
"His condition at the time, late last night and into this morning, was said to be critical, but those conditions can sometimes get updated. It really depends on how well he does. We're hoping for him," said police spokesman Chris Adams.
Police say they believe the victim was involved in an altercation of some sort at a McNaughton Street residence. Few details are known at this time, but police say it is believed four youths and an 18-year-old man attempted to rob the victim after he was beaten.
Police say the four youths and the 18-year-old suspect have been taken into custody and now face charges of aggravated assault and robbery.
The youths arrested include two boys, ages 15- and 16-years old, and two girls, ages 14- and 16-years old.
Adams said it's worrisome to see an incident like this occur.
"It's concerning to see any level of violence escalate, but unfortunately our officers deal with a lot of that on a daily basis, where alcohol was a factor. Unfortunately control seems to really go out the window for some people and these situations escalate and we end up with somebody that's got some really serious injuries."
The suspects and victims are known to each other, Adams added.
The five suspects were expected to appear in court Monday.
