NIGHT OF HORROR
Two people killed in Quebec City as man wielding sword stabs several bystanders
QUEBEC — The Quebec crown prosecutor’s office says a 24year-old man has been charged in relation to a sword attack in Quebec City late Saturday that killed two people and injured five others.
The prosecutor’s office says Carl Girouard faces two counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder. Girouard appeared before a judge via video conference Sunday afternoon, with another hearing set for Thursday.
Quebec City police Chief Robert Pigeon said earlier in the day that a suspect dressed in “medieval” garb had swung a katanalike sword at randomly chosen victims during an attack that went on for nearly 2.5 hours.
Police said 56-year-old François Duchesne and 61-year-old Suzanne Clermont died in the attack, which began around 10:30 p.m. Saturday in the Old Quebec area. Both victims were residents of Quebec City, police said.
“Last night, we were thrust into a night of horror when a 24year-old man who does not live in Quebec City came here with the clear intention of taking as many victims as possible,” Pigeon said during a Sunday morning news conference.
Police pursued Girouard on foot and arrested him shortly before 1 a.m. on Sunday, Pigeon added. He said Girourard has no known links to terrorist groups and that police believe his motivations appear to be personal in nature. Pigeon said Girourard has no criminal record, but that “in a medical context” five years ago, he had shared his intention to commit this type of act. He said the investigation is ongoing.
The five people who were injured were also residents of Quebec City, Pigeon said. He said some of those injured suffered lacerations he described as serious, but said no one is in life-threatening condition.
Condolences poured in from across Canada for the victims and their families, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau saying in a tweet that his “heart breaks” for them.
Federal Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole and Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party, also offered their condolences, while Quebec Premier François Legault said the entire province had woken up after a “night of horror.”
“I don’t have the words to describe such a tragedy,” Legault said in an early-morning tweet.
Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume said the attack has shaken the city, which is still recovering from a deadly shooting at a local mosque in 2017. “We’re going through a tough situation,” Labeaume said.