A man has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the 2023 stabbing death of a Ukrainian newcomer in Winnipeg. Ethan Gladu, 21, is accused in the death of Ivan Rubanik, 46, who was attacked while on his way to work.
Stabbing Described in Court
The trial began Monday before Manitoba Court of King’s Bench Justice Kenneth Champagne. Remi Van Den Driessche, a Winnipeg police officer, testified he arrived at the scene near Watt Street and Talbot Avenue to find a “large amount of blood,” with the snow stained “reddish.”
Van Den Driessche said Rubanik was already in an ambulance and receiving chest compressions. He radioed dispatchers, stating the victim was unstable and might not survive. Rubanik was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead at 8:54 a.m.
Witness Testimony
Emily Dyck, a witness, testified she saw a man gesture to his upper chest and fall to the ground shortly before 8 a.m. on Dec. 20. She did not see anyone near him initially, but observed “two or three individuals” near a bus stop.
Dyck attempted to alert the man by honking her horn, but he did not respond. After calling 911, she and another bystander approached Rubanik and were told by the other bystander, “There’s a lot of blood. You don’t want to see this.”
Investigation and Identification of Suspect
Police were directed to close traffic on Talbot and Watt and began scanning the area. Winnipeg Transit footage revealed a man requesting a stop and then saying, “You want to get stabbed now? Fuck … I’ll stab you,” around 7:45 a.m.
Footage from a homeowner on Talbot also showed a man running in the area around 7:43 a.m. Tips led investigators to a residential complex at 450 Talbot, and ultimately to identify Ethan Gladu as a suspect.
Rubanik had fled war-torn Ukraine and arrived in Winnipeg with his wife and two children less than a year before the attack. His wife was present in court Monday, accompanied by a translator.
The trial is expected to continue Tuesday with the presentation of transit surveillance footage.
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