Three people stabbed in ‘hate-motivated’ attack during gender class in Canada
- International student Geovanny Villalba-Aleman has been arrested for allegedly wounding a professor and two students at the University of Waterloo
- The suspect wanted to make a ‘statement’ about gender identity and confirmed the subject of the class before attacking, police say
A suspect has been charged in the stabbing of a professor and two students during a class on gender issues at Canada’s University of Waterloo, in Ontario, in what police are calling a hate-motivated attack.
Waterloo Regional Police say Geovanny Villalba-Aleman, an international student who had been studying at the University of Waterloo, 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.
Waterloo Police Chief Mark Crowell said the suspect, who had been interviewed by police, wanted to make a “statement” about gender identity, and that he had asked the professor to verify that the class was about gender studies before attacking.
A 38-year-old female professor, a 20-year-old female student and 19-year-old male student were sent to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. About 40 students were in the class at the time.
Several students tried to stop the attack, including by throwing chairs at the suspect, while others fled the room. The suspect initially posed as a victim before police identified him and arrested him, Crowell said.