 A woman has been charged in the Saturday assault of Winnipeg’s 'Homeless Hero' Faron Hall, who remained in hospital Sunday in stable condition. (Ross Romaniuk/QMI Agency, file)
|
WINNIPEG -- A woman has been charged in the Saturday assault of Winnipeg’s “Homeless Hero” Faron Hall, who remained in hospital Sunday in stable condition.
Faron Hall, 45, the formerly homeless man who last year rescued two people from drowning in the Red River near the Esplanade Riel Bridge where he was living rough at the time, was seriously beaten in his own apartment suite Saturday after a verbal dispute turned violent.
Hall, a second male and Geraldine Ruth Colomb, 31 — who has been charged with aggravated assault — were apparently drinking together in Hall’s suite when the dispute began escalating to the point where police said a piece of wood — possibly broken off from a piece of furniture — may have been used in Hall’s beating.
A neighbour, who lives on the same floor in the Marion Avenue Manitoba Housing block where Hall resides, said he saw the aftermath of the attack.
The resident, who only wished to be identified as Bill, said Hall appeared to have sustained head injuries in the attack and appeared unconscious when he was being transported to ambulance on a stretcher. Bill said he’d heard a bottle may have also been used as a weapon in the attack.
“He wasn’t moving at all,” Bill said of Hall’s state as he was taken to ambulance.
He said Hall had been drinking in his suite with several acquaintances on Friday and Saturday.
“They were partying pretty good about two o’clock (Saturday) when I left and I came back after 3:30 and there were cops around and I saw blood all over the floor of his suite,” Bill said.
Hall’s neighbour said he saw police taking Colomb into custody.
“She was a bit drunk and she was saying she was in the bathroom (when Hall was attacked),” Bill said.
Hall had been undergoing rehabilitation treatment for alcoholism but returned to the bottle shortly after, Bill said.
“He was sober for a bit after he came out of rehab — he’s a helluva good guy,” Bill said. “But he fell off the wagon, I guess you’d call it.”
Bill said Hall was also physically assaulted last Christmas by several people downtown.
“I feel bad for him, especially when he brings these characters in here,” Bill said.
Colomb is being detained in custody at the Remand Centre. On Sunday, police were still seeking a male suspect in the attack.
jason.halstead@sunmedia.ca
