Homicide investigation underway in Kitchener

Waterloo Regional Police are treating a death in the area of Paulander Drive in Kitchener as a homicide investigation.

On Friday morning, police received a call at around 4:30 a.m. about a man who was found near a trail behind a townhouse complex off Paulander Drive.

Investigators are working to identify the victim, who was not carrying identification.

Police said he is a Black male, between 18 and 22 years old, with short black hair.

He was wearing a grey Nike zip-up hoodie and grey track pants.

Members of the major crimes unit, general detectives and forensics identification units attended the scene to investigate. Neighbours say they woke to their street full of police cruisers and forensic unit vans.

Jeff Plantz said he was the one who came across the man at around 1 a.m. Friday. He returned to the scene to talk with police at around 9:30 a.m. to tell investigators what he saw.

“There’s a guy on the pathway and he’s not moving,” he said.

Plantz and his friend used naloxone on the man several times, thinking maybe he had overdosed, but the temporary antidote to opioid poisoning had no effect, he said.

He didn’t have any data on his mobile phone so he began knocking on doors to find someone who could call 911, he said.

Detectives were seen canvassing the area throughout the morning.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact investigators at 519-570-9777 ext. 8191. Anonymous tips can also be left with Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477.