Winnipeg police are investigating the city's third homicide of 2012, after a man died of his injuries early Sunday.

Simcoe Street and Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg

Police say they were called to Simcoe Street and Wellington Avenue at around 4 a.m. CT, after a passerby called to report an injured male in the area.

The man, who was found lying in the front yard of a house on the 600 block of Simcoe Street, was taken to hospital in critical condition. He was later pronounced dead.

Const. Jason Michalyshen said police will release the man's name after he has been positively identified.

An autopsy is scheduled to confirm the cause of death, but Michalyshen said the nature of the man's injuries has led police to believe his death was a homicide.

"There are some indicators that are causing us some … serious enough concern to identify it as a homicide at this time," he told reporters on Sunday.

Street described as violent

Homicide investigators are looking for any witnesses in the case, including any residents who may have seen or heard something in the neighbourhood early Sunday morning but may not thought anything of it at the time.

"Given the fact that that now we're bringing this information forward, that might trigger some memory or confirm some of their suspicions," Michalyshen said.

"We would ask that those individuals come forward [and] speak to investigators if they haven't already done so."

Sundae Lightfoot, who lives near the scene with her family, described the neighbourhood as dangerous.

"I think it's really violent on this street. Like, I wish there would be more police, you know, roaming up and down the streets," Lightfoot said.

"You see a lot of gangs and stuff," she added. "When I see a bunch of people, I just take off to the other side of the street."

Rory Richards, another area resident, said he cannot believe the man was found so close to his home.

"It's a dangerous area. You can't walk out here at night by yourself," Richards said.

"It scares me to death because one day I could walk out here to my car [and] somebody could come up and say, 'It's over for you.'"