One person is dead and others are injured after police in North Vancouver said a suspect stabbed multiple people in and around a public library in a quiet suburb of the North Shore.
North Vancouver RCMP said a suspect is in custody after they were arrested around 2 p.m. PT on Saturday near the Lynn Valley branch, on 1277 Lynn Valley Road, which is part of a local shopping centre.
Amy Robertson of B.C. Emergency Health Services said six patients were taken to hospital. She said 11 ambulances and two supervising vehicles were deployed to the scene. Robertson wasn’t able to release details on the conditions of the patients.
Police said in a tweet that there only appears to have been one suspect and that there is no ongoing threat to the public, but said they are still looking for potential additional victims.
Officers are also seeking witnesses to the incident, who should call 604-985-1311. The RCMP’s homicide unit said it is involved in the case and will provide a further update later Saturday afternoon.
<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALERT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ALERT</a>: informing the public of multiple victims stabbed within & outside <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/LynnValley?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#LynnValley</a> Library. One suspect in custody. Appears this was a lone suspect. No ongoing threat to public. We are still looking for potential additional victims. Any witnesses please call us at 604-985-1311
—@nvanrcmp
Justin Prasad, who works at a credit union across the street from the library, told CBC News that he saw the suspect arrested by police and taken away in an ambulance. He said it appeared that the officers may have shot the suspect with rubber bullets.
“The response from the police was tremendous,” Prasad said. “I’ve never seen so many cops in one area.”
Rylan Harvey, 29, was eating out and shopping with his mother and fiancée in the area when they saw the heavy police presence and later witnessed police arresting the suspect.
Harvey said they walked over to the library and described seeing multiple people being taken out on stretchers looking like they had been severely injured.
“I hope the victims are OK,” he said. “I’m very sad for this to have happened in our community.”
‘How the hell can this happen in North Van?’
Harvey just moved back to North Vancouver after living in Toronto for 10 years. He said most people who live in the area describe it as a quiet and idyllic place to live where the violence that played out on Saturday is highly unusual.
“People just seem to be generally shocked,” he said. “How the hell can this happen in North Van? I grew up five minutes from here.”
The District of North Vancouver said in a tweet that the library is closed for the rest of the day and asked people to avoid the area.
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