EAST GWILLIMBURY, Ont. – York Regional Police say they’ve arrested a 30-year-old man who allegedly attacked kindergarten children at school and seriously injured one of them.
Police say they responded to an incident around 1 p.m. on Wednesday at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Elementary School in East Gwillimbury.
Sgt. Andy Pattenden says the accused left a nearby home and hopped a fence into a playground where kindergarten children were on recess.
Police allege he swung a curtain rod at the children, striking one of them before school staff and a Good Samaritan intervened, disarmed him and ushered the children inside the school.
They say paramedics took the five-year-old student to the hospital with a serious injury.
The accused has been charged with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and common nuisance endangering life.
The York Catholic District School Board released a statement, saying it takes this type of incident “very seriously” and that officials are “deeply concerned” about the student’s injuries.
“The school’s safety plan is being reviewed and, if necessary, will be revised to outline additional steps the school and the Board will take to ensure the continued safety of students and staff,” the statement said, adding support staff are being brought to the school for educators and students.
— With files from Nick Westoll