A 24-year-old man has been accused of stabbing a professor and three other people during a gender studies class at a Canadian university in what police say was a «hate-motivated incident.»
Geovanny Villalba-Aleman, an international student who recently graduated from the University of Waterloo, is alleged to have carried out the «planned and targeted hate-motivated attack related to gender expression and gender identity,» the chief said. of the Waterloo Regional Police Service, Mark Crowell. at a press conference on Thursday.
“It is sad and disturbing that this incident occurred during Pride month,” Crowell said. «We hope this incident does not detract from these celebrations but instead encourages all of us to come together to continue to celebrate and continue to inspire love over hate.»
About 40 students were in a classroom at Hagey Hall when the suspect allegedly stabbed a teacher, a 38-year-old woman from Kitchener, and two students, a 20-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man. the police said. All three victims suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries.
Villalba-Aleman did not participate in the class, but had spoken to the teacher «before attacking her with two large knives without provocation,» Crowell said.
Officers quickly responded to the scene and were able to locate the suspect inside the building, the police chief said. Initially, Villalba-Aleman had tried to pose as a victim, but officers were able to identify him as the suspect based on the descriptions provided, he said.
Villalba-Aleman has been charged with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and damage of less than $5,000.
The investigation into the attack is ongoing, with members of the Waterloo Regional Police Service General Investigations Unit, the Major Crimes Unit, the Investigative Services Division, the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Unit, and the Forensic identification involved.