Hamilton police say a random encounter between a man and some teens led to Dwayne Bride being stabbed and bleeding to death in a downtown Hamilton street earlier this month.

Detectives say that they arrested a 16-year-old Thursday at his summer job, and have charged him in connection with Bride's death.

In a news release, police say the teen, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been charged with second-degree murder.

Bride was found lying in the area of Hess and Bold streets in the early hours of Saturday, June 3, suffering from what police called "sharp-edge weapon injuries." He was rushed to Hamilton General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, becoming Hamilton's fifth homicide of the year.

I'm shocked myself that in the last month I've arrested four people for murder born in the 2000s. It blows me away. - Det. Sgt. Dave Oleniuk, Hamilton Police Service

Det. Sgt. Dave Oleniuk told CBC News that things started that night when the teens passed by Bride on their bikes. The 42-year-old was on his way home from a bar.

"One of them made some goofy comment, and the victim responded," he said. "Just being teenagers, they didn't let it go. It could have just been an exchange of insults."

Instead, things escalated. Police say that at some point during the argument, someone in a nearby apartment building threw eggs at Bride, and a concerned citizen stepped in to try to diffuse the situation.

But the argument continued, and police allege that the accused teen stabbed Bride.

​Police originally believed a second male was also involved in the incident, but now say he was only part of the initial exchange not a party to the offence and will not be charged.

"We believe that he was surprised as well, that it went the way it did," Oleniuk said.

Dwayne Bride, 42, died after a stabbing in downtown Hamilton in early June. (Hamilton police)

The accused was known to police, Oleniuk said, but added that investigators don't believe that this incident is connected to youth gang violence in the city.

The homicide squad has charged multiple teens with murder in recent months.

In June, three 17-year-old girls were arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of a man who was found at a Stoney Creek gas station, covered in blood.

"I'm shocked myself that in the last month I've arrested four people for murder born in the 2000s. It blows me away," Oleniuk said.

But, he added, that doesn't necessarily make it a trend. He said he was just as shocked to charge a 93-year-old war veteran with attempted murder earlier this year.

"We all have this stereotypical notion about what a person charged with murder is supposed to look like," Oleniuk said.

"But these sorts of cases are outside the norm."

adam.carter@cbc.ca