Trudeau meets with officer hurt in Edmonton terror attack

by HANA MAE NASSAR AND THE CANADIAN PRESS EDMONTON (NEWS 1130) – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is marking his first visit to Alberta since the Edmonton terror attacks last month. In the province for a meeting of Canada’s health ministers, Trudeau spent some time with one of the people hurt in the attacks –an Edmonton police officer. “It was an extraordinary opportunity to sit down with Cst. Chernyk, with Mike, to hear about his experience, and mostly to be able to thank him,” Trudeau said to reporters Saturday. “On the morning after the attack I was, like so many Ca- nadians, watching online in disbelief of the footage of him being flung across the road and then viciously attacked.” He says the whole ordeal is a testament to Chernyk’s strength, as well as his training. “And just the excellence of first responders right across this country, that he was able to keep a cool head in the most chaotic and violent of circumstances, and keep Canadians safe.” Chernyk, who returned to work yesterday, had been handling crowd control at a Canadian Football League game at Commonwealth Stadium when he was hit by a speeding car that rammed through a barrier and sent him flying five metres through the air. The driver then got out, pulled out a large knife and began stabbing the 10year veteran, who fought back as he was lying on the ground. 30-year-old Abdulahi Hasan Sharif faces five counts of attempted murder, five counts of dangerous driving and one weapons-related charge. He is set to make another court appearance next month.