At least 7 stabbings and knife-related incidents in past week in K-W and surrounding area
Is knife violence on the rise?
There have been at least seven stabbings or knife-related incidents in Kitchener-Waterloo and the surrounding areas in the past week alone.
But at least one expert says it’s too premature to say if there’s been a spike in these types of crimes. However, former Ontario Provincial Police commissioner and CTV News public safety analyst Chris Lewis does take note of the number of incidents in the last week and their proximity to each other.
“I think what is probably unusual is the fact there was a whole pile between Wellington County and Waterloo Region in a short period of time,” Lewis said.
Since Thursday, Kitchener and Waterloo have seen at least four knife-involved or stabbing-related incidents, including one that saw a youth charged and two people transported to hospital.
Investigators believe the accused and victims knew each other.
“Stabbings are more intimate,” Lewis said. “You have to get into someone's personal space. You can't do it from 10 or 15 yards away.”
In Guelph, there have been two incidents where a knife was pulled in the last week. One happened in a business, another on a transit bus.
In Woodstock, police were called to an apartment complex last Tuesday for reports of a dispute. It resulted in a 56-year-old man charged with second-degree murder for the fatal stabbing of a 59-year-old man.
So what might be behind this possible spike?
Lewis points to how easy knives are to obtain. He also suggests the pandemic may be a contributor.
“People being stuck in houses and not being able to work in many cases and I think that caused a rise in domestic disputes, neighbour disputes,” Lewis said.
Could Canada’s gun-control legislation play into more knife-related crimes? Experts aren’t linking the two at this point.
“It's way too soon to link it to any gun legislation,” Lewis said. “Handguns have been illegal for the average person in Canada for a long, long time. Most of my life.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
BREAKING McGill University seeks emergency injunction to remove pro-Palestinian encampment from campus
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.