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Police to provide update in Quebec City stabbings that killed two, injured five

Quebec has woken up after “a night of horror,” Premier Francois Legault said on Sunday after an overnight stabbing rampage in the provincial capital left two people dead and five others injured.
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Police cars block the Quai Saint-Andre sweet where they arrested a man in medieval disguise, early Sunday, November 1, 2020 in Quebec City. Two people are dead and five people were injured after they were stabbed. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

Quebec has woken up after “a night of horror,” Premier Francois Legault said on Sunday after an overnight stabbing rampage in the provincial capital left two people dead and five others injured.

Legault offered his condolences to the victims’ loved ones in an early-morning tweet.

“I don’t have the words to describe such a tragedy,” he said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said in a tweet that his “heart breaks” for the loved ones of the victims and wished a full recovery to those who were injured.

“We’re keeping you in our thoughts and will be there for you,” he said.

Police in Quebec City are expected to provide an update later Sunday morning on the deadly Halloween night attacks.

They will be joined by Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume and Genevieve Guilbault, Quebec’s minister of public security, for a press conference at 9:30 a.m.

Police said earlier that a man in his mid-20s had been arrested in connection with the attacks and that he was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, but no information was released about his condition.

Police said the five injured victims were in hospital but their lives did not appear to be in danger. They did not release any other details.

Police didn’t speculate on a possible reason for the attack, but issued a tweet overnight saying they had no information indicating the suspect’s motives were anything other than personal.

Spokesman Etienne Doyon also declined to offer any information about the two people who were killed, saying only that “our thoughts are with the family of the people who died today.”

Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francois-Philippe Champagne, also offered his condolences.

“There are no words to express my sadness,” he tweeted.

Carlos Godoy, who lives in the area where the attacks occurred, said police K-9 units had searched his backyard as they hunted for the suspect.

“It was really erratic, very abnormal for the neighbourhood,” he said.

“It’s a full moon, it’s October 31st. It’s Halloween, and it’s a lockdown weekend. No one should be out on the streets,” Godoy said. “And I’m in an extremely quiet neighbourhood because there are no tourists nowadays.”

Police had asked area residents to remain indoors as they continued their investigation.