Two people were killed and five injured in a stabbing spree in Quebec City’s Old Town on Halloween night. Local media are reporting that the suspected man had been planning the attack for a year and a half, and police intelligence indicates that there is no indication that he had any reason for the attack other than personal motivation.
According to police, last night’s attacks in Old Quebec City took place at various locations near the Chateau Frontenac, a tourist attraction, and the National Assembly, Quebec’s provincial legislature.
Quebec City police spokesman Etienne Doyon said in a media briefing that the man suspected of committing the attacks was about 25 years old, had a sword in his hand and was wearing “medieval clothing.
The police tweeted and wrote: “Based on our preliminary information, there is no indication that the suspect had any reason other than a personal motive to commit the crime.
According to Quebec’s Le Soleil newspaper, which cited three witnesses, the man first killed the first person by “slitting his throat” near the Chateau Frontenac hotel, leaving “a lot of blood” at the scene. “He then proceeded along the Rue des Remparts (Walled City Road), killing a second person along the way and stabbing the other victims in Old Port. He then proceeded along the Rue des Remparts, killing a second person along the way, before stabbing the other victims in the Old Port.
Karin Lacoste, a resident of Quebec, said she went shopping at a supermarket around 11 p.m. and saw several armed police officers wearing bulletproof undershirts. She told the LCN news channel, “I was told, ‘Run home, because there’s a killer on the loose, and he’s killing people.’ . … I was really scared.”
Doyon said police received the report around 10:30 p.m., dispatched several officers to the scene and, after searching the streets of Old Town, arrested the man suspected of committing the crime near Old Harbor shortly before 1 a.m. this morning. After being restrained, the man was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
Police have formally identified the man, but have not yet released his identity and have not said whether he was already in custody.
Doyon also mentioned that the five victims’ injuries were of varying degrees of severity. Police have not released any identifying details such as the victim’s age.
The Sun reported that the suspect, who was wearing a black mask, surrendered to police and was lying on the ground, barefoot and suffering from hypothermia at the time of his arrest. The report also mentions that the man had been planning the attack for a year and a half.
Police asked Quebec citizens to stay indoors and lock their doors while the investigation is ongoing. Several areas were heavily policed.
For his part, independent journalist Jordan Proust told AFP that the streets of the Old City were quiet at the time of the attack due to the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) epidemic. He said, “Most of the children celebrating All Saints’ Eve celebrated in the afternoon.”
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