CHAIRMAN: DR. KHALID BIN THANI AL THANI
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: PROF. KHALID MUBARAK AL-SHAFI

World / Americas

Two Canadian soldiers knifed at recruiting station

Published: 15 Mar 2016 - 11:57 am | Last Updated: 01 Nov 2021 - 11:34 am
Peninsula

Toronto Police chief Mark Saunders addressed the media outside of the Joseph Sheppard Federal Building after a man in his 20s burst into the Canadian Armed Forces recruiting office with a knife, stabbing multiple people before being subdued by a Forces member. Victor Biro/Special to Metro/ Metro News

 

Montreal: A man brandishing a knife stabbed two Canadian soldiers at a Toronto recruiting station before he was subdued and arrested, police said late Monday.

The 27 year-old male suspect made some comments before the police arrived "which has caused some concern," suggesting that the attack could related to terrorism, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders told reporters.

But he emphasized: "We don't have at this time a clear understanding of what the motivation is."

The suspect entered the government office building Monday afternoon and without provocation stabbed a soldier at the reception desk, then managed to wound a second soldier.

"At this time, through the training of the Canadian Forces, they were able to subdue" the suspect, Saunders said.

Neither of the victims were seriously wounded, he said.

Had the other soldiers "not reacted the chances of this being much more severe, much more serious definitely would've occurred."

The suspect, who was not identified, was arrested and taken to a hospital for a mental evaluation "before the investigation will be further initiated," Saunders said. 

Saunders said that his agents were working with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) to investigate the case.

Saunders said that any connection with a jihadist group would be "seriously" analyzed.

Further information on the case will be announced on Tuesday, he added.

AFP