People randomly attacked in Edmonton, suspect arrested

EDMONTON — Police arrested a suspect Tuesday following a series of random attacks that began with the stabbing of a man waiting for a train during Edmonton’s busy morning commute.

Officers were called just before 8 a.m. to a platform of the light rail transit system’s South Campus station.

University of Alberta student Jason Cey told CTV News that he was standing on the platform when he heard a commotion.

“I heard some guy screaming ‘help, help’ behind me. And I turned around and this guy’s getting stabbed in the chest,” Cey said.

“And the crowd kind of splits up and everybody parts. A couple guys come in, pull the assailant off. I help the guy as he’s falling to the ground.

“I put my hand on his chest to kind of stem the bleeding.”

Police said the suspect ran off and robbed a nearby business, assaulted an employee there and then jumped into a woman’s Cadillac in a parking lot.

The driver was able to jump out of the car before it sped off and, a short time later, officers arrested a 24-year-old man in the city’s west end.

The stabbing victim, who is 19, was taken to hospital in serious, but stable condition.

Police said the store employee was treated at the scene for minor injuries and the car’s driver was not hurt.

“At this time, police do not believe the suspect was known to the individuals involved in this series of events,” police said in a statement.

Charges are pending against the suspect, whose name was not released.