Police seek multiple suspects in slaying

A man once charged with pimping and beating his girlfriend was fatally attacked in broad daylight Thursday in the city’s second homicide of 2017.

Devon Labelle of Ottawa, 24, was found stabbed and bleeding out front of the Jean Coutu pharmacy on Montreal Road in Vanier just before 3:30 p.m. Store employees had rushed to try and aid the dying man with paper towels to stop his bleeding. Labelle’s throat had been slit and when paramedics arrived, he had no vital signs. He was pronounced dead in hospital.

Police have not yet made any arrests in the killing, but believe a group of several people fled the scene and that the alleged murder weapon — a knife — was tossed at Carillon Park. Detectives believe the attack was targeted and are looking for multiple suspects.

Labelle was charged last year by the same force now tasked with solving his killing. In June 2016, human trafficking detectives charged Labelle, then 23, and two others after two women were assaulted one May evening at a Sandy Hill apartment.

Labelle was charged with pimping his girlfriend from February until the end of April 2016, assaulting her on May 25 and verbally threatening her in January. He was also charged with eight other counts of assault for allegedly beating her.

Labelle was also charged with physically assaulting the woman on April 16. Labelle had been in police custody after the charges were laid in June. All but two assault charges against Labelle were later withdrawn. He was sentenced in December 2016, and was given 15 months of probation and a five-year weapons ban.

Pierre Senatus, then 21, was also charged in the May 2016 incident.

Keisha Touzin, then 24, was also charged with aggravated assault for her alleged role in the May attack.

syogaretnam@postmedia.com twitter.com/shaaminiwhy

Police … believe a group of several people fled the scene.