3 men who fled Saint John homicide scene still at large

Saint John police are asking for any information that will help them find the three men who broke into a man's apartment and stabbed him to death.

On Wednesday police said they're investigating the homicide of 39-year-old Justin David Breau, who was pronounced dead in hospital Wednesday after three people wearing masks broke into his Charles Street apartment.

At a Thursday afternoon news conference, Staff Sgt. Sean Rocca said no arrests have been made.

Rocca said police believe the 911 call came during the stabbing, but by the time officers arrived two minutes later, the men had already fled on foot.

Police then searched the areas of Garden, Charles, Coburg and Hazen streets near the uptown, and Rocca said police are still patrolling that area on Thursday.

In December 2020, Breau was found not guilty in the 2019 shooting death of Mark Shatford on the west side of the city.

Breau had been charged with second-degree murder. During the trial, he admitted shooting Shatford but said he did it in self-defence after trying to rob him, and he was acquitted in the end.

Rocca said police can't say if the Shatford homicide is at all connected with Breau's death.

He said police still can't say whether this was a targeted stabbing or random, or say if anything was taken from Breau's apartment.

He said police would make it known if there were any threat to the public.