One person is dead and two others are injured after a stabbing incident at an east Toronto school Tuesday afternoon, police say.
Toronto police Duty Insp. Michael Williams said officers were called to Victoria Park Collegiate Institute, near Victoria Park Avenue and Parkwoods Village Drive, just after 3 p.m.
“When they arrived on scene, they found two young males suffering from stab wounds. One had been stabbed in the abdomen. They were subsequently transported to hospital via emergency run and that is the person that’s been pronounced deceased,” Williams told reporters.
Williams said shortly after, a third victim who had been stabbed in the lower body was located and taken to hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
One “young person” was arrested by responding officers, Williams said. No charges have yet been laid in connection with the incident. The homicide squad is investigating.
It’s not clear if those involved were students at the school.
Williams said classes ended around 2:45 p.m. and then the stabbing happened shortly after on the school track.
“It was a short duration after school, but we still don’t know whether it was kids from the school that were exiting the school or whether anybody else from somewhere else came here,” he said.
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“It’s still pretty early on in the investigation.”
Williams said it’s believed there was a large group of students who were in the area at the time of the stabbing and asked anyone with information or relevant video footage to contact investigators.
There is no word on what led to the stabbing. Initial reports indicated a fight had taken place.
“We are looking to determine exactly who played what role in this altercation,” Williams said.
“Like I said, there’s three people injured. Was one person doing all the stabbing? We’re not sure at this point.”
Williams said officers will be at the school on Wednesday to provide comfort for students and offer an opportunity for anyone with information to speak to police. He said they don’t believe there is a further threat to public safety.
Toronto District School Board spokesperson Shari Schwartz-Maltz said the school will be open Wednesday and a team of social workers and grief counsellors will be on-site to provide support to students.
“We have professionals that will be here tomorrow,” she said.
“Professionals who will be here to listen to them, to hear what they have to say, to sit down with them. And that goes for staff too. We’re all part of this school community.”
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