Victim of 'very serious' West End assault is U of W student

The woman who was rushed to hospital in critical conditionafteran assault in Winnipeg's West End on Tuesday isa student at the University of Winnipeg.

"We are staying in very close touch with our student and her family and our hearts are with them in this incredibly difficult time," said James Currie, who is responsible for student services atthe U of W.

In a statement to CBC News,Currie also said the school is reminding students thatcounsellors are available. He saidthe school isassisting police in their investigation.

"It was a very, very, very serious assault," said Winnipeg police Const. Rob Carver. "She's now been stabilized but this is very serious.

"It would be reasonable to assume that [with] an assault of this nature that the victim may not have survived."

Emergency crews were called to the intersection of ElliceAvenue and Dominion Street around 2:30 a.m.

A woman screaming ... that's what woke me up.- Donna Brooks

Police have a man incustody in connection with the incident and have recovered a weapon. Investigators believe the man and woman areknown to each other, Carver said.

Part of the street corner and sidewalk remained stained with blood several hours later and apile of bloody clothes could be seennearby on the street.

Ellice remainedblocked in both directions betweenDowning Street and Garfield Street North but reopened over the noon hour on Tuesday.

Donna Brooks, who lives on Dominion, close to the corner where the assault happened, was rattled by what she heard.

"Screaming. A woman screaming," she said. "That's what woke me up."

She said the noises went on for about five minutes then stopped. About a minute later, the screams started up again.

Then she could hear a man's voice talking, not yelling. Then just silence.

Brooks was about to call 911 when she heard sirens and saw emergency vehicles race down her street.

"It's disturbing to me that I heard that," she said.

"Every once in a while you get people sometimes yelling or talking loud but not this. Never this."

Police haven't released information on charges or ages of the people involved.