A Red Deer RCMP officer was repeatedly stabbed and another officer bitten on Monday afternoon as they tried to arrest a man suspected of two other stabbings moments before.
Police said the stabbed officer was taken to hospital with serious non-life-threatening injuries following the incident shortly before 5 p.m. in downtown Red Deer. The officer was later released.
A 34-year-old male suspect was subdued and arrested at the scene and is facing numerous charges.
Police said they first got a call about 4:35 p.m. of stabbing downtown near Gaetz Avenue and 52nd Street. Witnesses said the victim was attacked by an unknown suspect who then fled the scene on foot.
The stabbing victim was taken to hospital with serious life-threatening injuries.
RCMP officers swarmed the area to find the suspected stabber.
“Within minutes, officers located the suspect and attempted an arrest on 51st Avenue and 48th Street,” said RCMP in a Tuesday afternoon news release.
“The suspect ran and was chased down by RCMP. While effecting an arrest, the suspect stabbed one officer multiple times and bit another.”
At the same time the suspect was being arrested police were alerted to another stabbing victim near 48th Avenue and Ross Street. That victim was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries, treated and released.
“Our officers were able to respond to this incident and locate the suspect in less than 10 minutes,” said Red Deer RCMP Supt. Holly Glassford. “The injuries to our officers highlight the dangers that police face when responding to emerging and dangerous threats that repeat offenders posse to our communities.”
The motivations for this attack are still under investigation.
RCMP sent out a news release about 5:40 p.m. Monday warning of a heavy police presence in the area and asking the public to steer clear while the investigation continued.
The area was roped off with police tape. One business owner on Little Gaetz Avenue said she could see seven police vehicles nearby and police asked them to stay away from the area.
About 9:50 p.m. RCMP sent out another news release saying the “scenes had been released” and police were gone.
Randall Andrew Cardinal, 34, of Red Deer has been charged with two counts each of aggravated assault and assaulting a police officer with intent to resist arrest and single counts of aggravated assault of a police officer, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, resisting a police officer and carrying a concealed weapon.
Cardinal remains in custody and is due in court Wednesday.
