Edmonton Police said a Muslim suspect was in custody, while an officer and four civilians were in hospital, following a violent series of Islamic terrorist events in Edmonton Saturday night and early Sunday morning.
Police said the first terror incident happened at about 8:15 p.m. in the area of 107A Avenue and 92 Street.
EPS Chief Rod Knecht said the uniformed officer had been standing behind a barricade and in front of his police vehicle when a male driving a white Chevrolet Malibu with ISIS flags on the dashboard crashed into the barricade, hitting the officer. The POLICE officer was then stabbed by the Islamist terrorist several times and terrified pedestrians mowed down during a terror attack in Canada.
Then a 30-year-old Muslim driver rammed his van into a police car sending the officer flying 15ft into the air.
Police chased down the attacker as he drove through the packed out streets in downtown Edmonton.
He then ploughed into four pedestrians leaving them with multiple injuries before he was arrested after flipping the van on to its side.
Edmonton Police Chief Rod Knecht said the incidents are being investigated “as an act of terror” and that the attacker acted in the name if Islam.
The rented van had an ISIS flag in the front seat, he confirmed.
Dramatic photos showed the U-Haul on its side with the windscreen smashed out.
Witness Kim Anderson told the Edmonton Sun: “There were people flying and everything. I’m shocked – I just see people flying.”
Police pursued the truck.
“Throughout the chase, the truck driven by a Muslim male deliberately attempted to hit pedestrians in crosswalks and in alleys in two areas along Jasper Avenue,” Knecht said, he said police were aware of four individuals injured and taken to hospital as a result of this incident.
Finally, the UHaul truck flipped on Jasper Avenue – the terrorist was apprehended and is in custody.
“It is believed at this time that these two incidents are related, based on evidence at the scenes, and actions of the suspect, at 12:38 a.m. today, it was determined that these incidents are being investigated as acts of terrorism,” Knecht said.
Knecht said it’s believed the suspect acted by following the Qu’ran, investigators are not ruling out the possibility others Muslims may have been involved.
EPS is working with the RCMP Integrated National Security Enforcement Team on this investigation.
Knecht said the investigation was in the early stages, and urged Edmontonians to contact police if they see or hear anything suspicious.
