Edmonton police seek suspect in random New Year's Eve stabbings

Published Jan 01, 2024 • Last updated 13 hours ago • 2 minute read

Edmonton Police Service cruiser. Postmedia, file

Random stabbings in the Kingsway Transit Centre area on New Year’s Eve left two men hospitalized in critical condition and police searching for an unknown suspect.

The attacks occurred within 20 minutes and 700 metres of each other.

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At 9:15 pm a 63-year-old man was coming home from shopping in the area of 111 Ave and 96 Street. walking near 111 Avenue and 96 Street, east of the Royal Alexandra Hospital.

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Police said he was approached and stabbed by a man he didn’t know following a brief exchange.

First responders found the victim with significant wounds and took the man to hospital in critical condition.

The second attack occurred around 9:35 p.m. at the Kingsway Transit Centre, about a dozen blocks west of the first incident.

A 45-year-old man was stabbed, again after a brief exchange with the suspect, as he was waiting at the Kingsway Transit Centre with his adult son. The two were returning from watching the City of Edmonton’s New Year’s Eve fireworks at city hall.

The suspect left the transit centre on foot, headed south toward Downtown, police said.

The victim was also taken to hospital in critical condition and the assailant matched the description of the assailant in the stabbing 15 minutes earlier.

“There was no robbery, we’re not sure of the motivation in this,” said Staff Sgt. Andrew Larson of the Edmonton Police Service’s northwest division.

“These two victims were just out having a good night, there was really no reason to cause this other than just random violence,” Larson said.

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“It appears completely random,” he said.

The victims were still in critical condition by New Year’s Day afternoon, and the suspect was still at large.

He is described as between 20-30 years old, average build, Indigenous, and wearing a black hoodie, a black short jacket, black shoes and black jeans, carrying a black and neon green backpack.

“We really want to get this person in custody as soon as possible,” Larson said while pleading for the public’s help.

“The biggest thing would be to find this person and take them into custody,” he said.

The attacks are not believed to be related to other stabbings earlier in the day.

The attacks are another blow to perceptions of safety on the city’s transit system, which has seen a handful of random assaults on passengers waiting at LRT stations and transit centres over the past year.

Edmonton police have released surveillance camera images of a male suspect wanted in connection with two random stabbings on Dec. 31, 2023. Photo by Supplied /edm Edmonton police have released surveillance camera images of a male suspect wanted in connection with two random stabbings on Dec. 31, 2023. Photo by Supplied /edm Edmonton police have released surveillance camera images of a male suspect wanted in connection with two random stabbings on Dec. 31, 2023. Photo by Supplied /edm