While responding to a serious stabbing in Red Deer, Alta., on Monday afternoon, one RCMP officer was also stabbed and another bitten by the suspect, RCMP said in a news release Tuesday.
RCMP were called to 50 Avenue and 52 Street at around 4:30 p.m.
Witnesses reported that person was attacked by someone they didn’t know, who then ran away. The victim was taken to hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries, RCMP said.
Officers found the suspect and tried to arrest him on 51 Avenue and 48 Street, but he ran away.
RCMP chased him, and during the arrest, “the suspect stabbed one officer multiple times and bit another,” RCMP said.
The suspect was arrested.
RCMP were notified about another stabbing victim near 48 Avenue and 50 Street. That person was also taken to hospital with non-life-threating injuries, treated and released.
The injured officer was taken to hospital with serious, non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released.
“Our officers were able to respond to this incident and locate the suspect in less than 10 minutes,” said Supt. Holly Glassford, detachment commander of the Red Deer RCMP. “The injuries to our officers highlight the dangers that police face when responding to emerging and dangerous threats that repeat offenders pose to our communities.”
The motivations for the attack are still under investigation.
RCMP have charged Red Deer resident, 34-year-old Randall Andrew Cardinal, with aggravated assault of a Peace Officer, assaulting a Peace Officer causing bodily harm, two counts of aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose, two counts of assaulting a Peace Officer with intent to resist arrest, resisting a peace officer in execution of his duty and carrying a concealed weapon.
The accused is in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.