Sword attacker faces murder charges

QUEBEC CITY: A man armed with a katana and dressed in medieval clothing has been arrested after two people died and five were wounded in an attack in Quebec City on Sunday.

The attack on randomly chosen victims near the historic Chateau Frontenac hotel in Quebec City lasted nearly two and ahalf hours while police pursued the man armed with the Japanese sword throughout the city’s CBD on foot, Quebec Police Chief Robert Pigeon said.

Quebec’s prosecutor’s office said Carl Girouard (24) faced two counts of firstdegree murder and five counts of attempted murder. He appeared before a judge via videoconference yesterday. The next hearing will be later this week.

Police said their initial information indicated the suspect’s motive was personal and not terrorism.

The police chief said the suspect had no criminal record but ‘‘in a medical context’’ over five years ago had shared his intention to commit this type of act.