Students attacked on University of Waterloo campus released from hospital, status of professor unknown

Waterloo regional police say the two students involved in a triple stabbing during a gender issues class at the University of Waterloo have been released from hospital.

Police said the alleged attacker planned and targeted the gender studies class on Wednesday afternoon, stabbing two students and a professor.

According to police, the students injured were a 20-year-old woman who sustained serious, but not-life-threatening injuries and a 19-year-old man who sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Both were taken to a local hospital and released later in the day, police said.

Police said the status of the professor, 38-year-old Katy Fulfer, was unknown.

CTV News spoke to students on campus Friday, including one who knew someone who was in the classroom during the attack.

“Apparently he went home, just to take some time to recover, which is good. Because you need to take time to recover. I don’t know how you back to a class after that,” said Ian Miedei, who graduated last year.

'PLANNED AND TARGETED' ATTACK

In a press conference held Thursday afternoon, Waterloo Regional Police Service Chief Crowell said investigators have determined the accused specifically targeted a gender issues class.

“Investigators have reason to believe this was a planned and targeted attack, motivated by hate related to gender expression and gender identity,” said Crowell.

Following the attack, Geovanny Villalba-Aleman, an international student who had been studying at the university, faces three counts of aggravated assault, four counts of assault with a weapon and two counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Police said he graduated in April.

He also faces a charge of mischief under $5,000, which police told CTV News is in relation to a ripped Pride flag.