WRPS call University of Waterloo stabbing hate-motivated, charge 24-year-old international student
CTV
Waterloo regional police say a 24-year-old international student has been charged in connection to a stabbing that injured three people during a gender studies class in Hagey Hall at the University of Waterloo on Wednesday.
Waterloo regional police say a 24-year-old international student has been charged in connection to a stabbing that injured three people during a gender studies class in Hagey Hall at the University of Waterloo on Wednesday.
Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) say Geovanny Villalba-Aleman had been studying at the university, and faces three counts of aggravated assault, four counts of assault with a weapon and two counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
Police believe the accused targeted a gender-studies class and investigators believe it was a hate-motivated incident related to gender expression and gender identity.
About 40 students were in the classroom at the time of the incident, according to WRPS. Three people were stabbed including the professor, a 38-year-old woman and two students, a 20-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man – both from Waterloo. Police said all victims sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries.
The accused was located by police within the building and arrested and is expected to appear in court for a bail hearing on Thursday.
“I can also confirm that this incident is contained entirely within the university community itself. There is no further threat to public safety either on campus or outside in the broader community at this time,” Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) superintendent Shaena Morris said at a press conference on Wednesday night.
