Durham Regional Police are investigating the region's first homicide of the year after a man was stabbed in Pickering on Saturday.

Police said Tyson Henry, 22, was stabbed in the neck during an fight in the Parkham Crescent and Colmar Avenue area at about 1 a.m.

Emergency crews rushed Henry to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

On Saturday, dozens of friends and family members turned up to a makeshift memorial on the spot where Henry was stabbed the day before.

Janessa Allan, one of Henry's childhood friends, described him as someone who would always be there if needed. Allan said many people who knew Henry are devastated.

Kim Shurig said she knew Henry for his entire life and described him as a "good kid."

"He'd just gotten his apprenticeship, he was engaged. He was with his fiancé when it happened," she said.

Police said Henry's attacker fled the scene after the stabbing, and officers spent part of Saturday afternoon investigating a nearby park for evidence.

Neighbours said they had no idea anything was wrong until they saw flashing lights on their street.

Rick Moore, a neighbour who lives steps from the crime scene, said he was horrified by what he witnessed on Friday night.

He said he saw a lot of blood and gave his T-shirt to others at the scene who asked for towels to stop the bleeding.

Durham police are asking anyone with information to contact at (905) 579-1520 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222- TIPS (8477).

With files from The Canadian Press and CTV Toronto's Scott Lightfoot.