June 29 (UPI) — Police in Canada have determined that the triple stabbing incident that occurred during a gender studies class at the University of Waterloo was a hate-motivated attack, according to recent reports.
The perpetrator, identified as 24-year-old Geovanny Villalba-Aleman, was apprehended shortly after the shocking incident, which took place at the university’s main campus in Waterloo, Ontario. The city, located approximately 70 miles west of Toronto, is home to around 121,400 residents.
Villalba-Aleman now faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and mischief. The total value of the mischief caused is estimated to be under $3,774 (or $5,000 in Canadian currency).
During a press conference, Chief Mark Crowell of the Water Regional Police Service revealed that the suspect, a recent international graduate of the university, entered the class of approximately 40 students and engaged in a conversation with the 38-year-old professor before launching a sudden and unprovoked attack using two large knives.
As chaos ensued, with some students fleeing while others rushed to aid the professor, Villalba-Aleman targeted two attempting to escape and even made an attempt on a third student’s life, Crowell disclosed.
Law enforcement responded to the scene after receiving a call at 3:37 p.m. and managed to apprehend the suspect without further incident as he was posing as a victim within the building. Witness accounts played a crucial role in identifying him as the perpetrator.
All three victims were hospitalized, with the professor and a 20-year-old woman sustaining serious but non-life-threatening injuries and being transported to out-of-region hospitals. The 19-year-old male victim, who was also stabbed, received treatment locally for his non-life-threatening injuries, noted Crowell.
Authorities believe that the attack specifically targeted the gender studies class due to its subject matter.
“Investigators have reason to believe that this was a planned targeted attack motivated by hate related to gender expression and gender identity,” said Crowell.
In response to the incident, the university held a gathering on campus and observed a moment of silence at 3:37 p.m.
“It is both sad and disturbing that this incident has occurred during Pride Month, a time where we celebrate and recognize members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community,” expressed Crowell, referring to the diverse community encompassing various sexual orientations and gender identities in Canada.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to Twitter to condemn the attack, describing it as despicable and asserting that violence fueled by hate has no place in the country. He emphasized the importance of building a Canada where everyone is accepted and protected from harm based on their identities.
This tragic incident draws parallels to the infamous mass shooting that occurred on December 6, 1989, where a man targeted and killed 14 women at Ecole Polytechnique of the University of Montreal, before taking his own life. Decades later, this event continues to be commemorated annually on December 6 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
During the press conference, Chief Crowell mentioned that hate-motivated crimes against the LGBTQ community have seen a concerning increase in Canada, particularly during the month of June when Pride Month is celebrated.
“We have seen in our community a small uptick in events recently targeting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and hate-motivated incidents, and we’re absolutely focused on addressing those with the best efforts that we have,” he affirmed.
According to Statistics Canada, reported hate crimes surged by 27% in 2021 compared to the previous year, with a total of 3,360 reports. This increase represented a slight decrease from the 36% jump observed in 2020. Notably, there were 423 hate-crime reports related to sexual orientation in 2021, marking a 67% increase from the previous year.
