At least 1 dead after knife-wielding attacker goes on stabbing rampage at Canadian library

At least one person was killed and several injured after a man armed with a knife charged at people inside and outside a public library in North Vancouver, Canada. The suspect has been apprehended.

The incident unfolded on Saturday afternoon local time at the Lynn Valley Library, a public library in the district of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

“Multiple victims” were stabbed “inside and outside” the facility, police reported. A woman succumbed to her injuries, while six others were taken to the hospital in the wake of the rampage.

The attacker, who police believe acted alone, was apprehended in the vicinity of the library shortly afterwards. Footage emerged on social media showing multiple police officers swooping in on a man who appears to be carrying a knife. Moments before his arrest, the man collapses to the ground, with the person behind filming the video saying that “he’s cut himself.”

It’s unclear if the stabbing suspect is the man in the video.

The suspected attacker, who is in his 20s, is known to police, according to CBC News, which reported the alleged stabber had a criminal record. A witness told the outlet that the man was wielding a very large knife as he went on a rampage outside a shop next to the library. The attacker then proceeded to the restroom, where he found another victim, the witness claimed.

In a statement on Twitter, the library said it has shut down for the rest of the day, warning people to avoid the area.

The stabbing prompted a massive police response, which saw over a dozen ambulances rushing to the scene. North Vancouver Mayor Mike Little called the incident “deeply unsettling,” commending law enforcement and first responders for their “quick action,” while urging potential witnesses to contact the authorities.

Responding to news of the stabbing, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau referred to the attack as “a violent incident,” wishing a speedy recovery to the injured victims.

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