A 15-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a series of assaults in the Grant Park area Tuesday night, including a stabbing that took place in front of a restaurant in the Grant Park Shopping Centre’s parking lot.
Police said the incident, which started in the 1100 block of Lorette Avenue, resulted in three people being stabbed — an 84-year-old woman who was taken to hospital in critical condition to receive emergency surgery, and two men, 43 and 46.
Jay Kilgour, owner of Fionn’s Restaurant & Pub told 680 CJOB’s The Start that one of the male victims was stabbed in full view of a number of witnesses in front of his business.
“I guess the incident that happened on Lorette… some of the people involved there made their way to Grant Park, and in the parking lot there we witnessed a gentleman stabbed,” said Kilgour.
“We were able to get him to the front of our restaurant, and luckily there was a friend of mine there who was a guest at the time — she’s a nurse and was able to take care of him until paramedics and police came.”
Kilgour said only days earlier, he had written a message to his staff encouraging them to stay safe after a harrowing carjacking incident took place in the mall’s parking lot.
“It doesn’t seem like we can get away from it anywhere,” he said.
“It’s definitely concerning. I think it shows that communities everywhere are struggling right now, and this is the result.
“It’s really disappointing that we’re at this point.”
Police said the teen suspect is facing multiple charges, including two counts of aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, break and enter with intent, as well as weapon possession and mischief charges.