Woman killed after alcohol-fuelled fight in Forest Lawn escalates

A woman was killed after an alcohol-fuelled verbal argument escalated into a fight at a home in southeast Calgary, according to police, who have taken at least three people into custody.

Officers were called to a four-unit apartment buildingin the 1800 block of42ndStreet S.E. at about 11 p.m.Tuesdaywhere they found an adult woman who had been seriously assaulted.

She was taken to hospital in critical condition and later died.

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Insp. Don Coleman said the relationship between the deceased and the suspects is of an "extended-family nature," but police are still sorting out the details.

He said charges are pending but it remains to be seen how many people will be charged.

"It's a murder investigation at this point so we would anticipate the charges to be in line with that," Coleman said.

Neighbours have told CBC News the woman was stabbed, but police have not confirmed that.

"There has been a weapon recovered and we're still following up to see what its relationship is to this investigation," Coleman said.

Jason Burton, who lives in the unit next door, says he was out having a cigarette on his balcony at about 10:30 p.m. when he heard a commotion.

"I heard screaming next door, but I didn't think too much of it. I figured it was just a couple having an argument," he said."I went back in and next thing I know there's cops showing up everywhere," Burton said.

"I saw this gentleman, he was crying, the cops were parked just up the road there, and they brought him out in handcuffs," he said.

"And there was another young kid it looked like he had his arm sliced open. There was an ambulance here, and they were attending to him."

Police saidit's not believed the incident was random. An autopsy was set for later on Wednesday.

Coleman said investigators have had "varying degrees of co-operation" from witnesses.

He said numerous people were in the home at the time for a social gatheringwhen averbal argument escalated into a physical fight,"fuelled, in part, by alcohol."

"There was a considerable amount of alcohol consumed by most or all of the people in attendance there," Coleman said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police or contact Crime Stoppers.