A 14-year-old boy has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of David Michael Vincett.

Vincett, 20, was found dead early Sunday morning on Boyd Avenue near Andrews Street in Winnipeg's North End. He was shot in the upper body.

The police investigation has revealed that Vincett and the teen met up in the 500 block of Boyd Avenue at about 3 a.m. After a verbal exchange, the teen pulled out a gun and shot Vincett.

The teen then ran from the area. He was arrested on Tuesday at about 9:30 p.m.

Police spokesperson Const. Jason Michalyshen said there has now been 11 young offenders arrested in connection with Winnipeg's 32 homicides in 2011.

Out of the 22 homicides in 2010, just one person arrested was a young offender, he said.

Police exploring possible link

Michalyshen said Vincett may have been in an argument that morning about gang affiliations, but police have no proof to date that Vincett had anything to do with gangs.

David Michael Vincett was found dead early Sunday morning in Winnipeg's North End. Facebook

"There is some suggestion that at the time, he may have associated himself, or verbalized that he was associated with a particular street gang in that community," Michalyshen said.

Police said they are also investigating a possible connection between Vincett's death and the fatal stabbing of Clark Stevenson, 15, in the North End earlier this month.

Stevenson and the 14-year-old suspect knew one another, according to police.

However, police stopped short of suggesting Vincett's death was a retaliation killing.

"Until we can absolutely say with 100 per cent certainty that this is not in connection to any form of retaliation … we'll keep that on the table," Michalyshen said.

Two young men, aged 14 and 18, have been charged with second-degree murder in Stevenson's death. Police have attributed the incident to tensions between rival street gangs.

Area residents not surprised

The possible link between the two homicides did not surprise Stanley Spence, whose 13-year-old son Joseph "Beeper" Spence was killed in the North End in 1995.

"This anguishes me a lot because, you know, the community's just going after each other, Indians against Indians," Spence told CBC News.

"We're supposed to be uniting as one, but we're not."

Spence said gangs and drugs are destroying his neighbourhood.

Jenna Wirch, who was friends with Stevenson, said violence in the North End must be addressed.

"This needs to stop," she said. "I'm really sick of the violence, really sick of all these gangs. It really had a pull on my heart."