At the University of Waterloo, horror ensued when a man stormed into a gender studies classroom focusing on transgender issues and proceeded to stab a professor and two students with two large knives.
Student Jimmy Li expressed his shock to CTV News, saying that the assailant first asked the professor a peculiar question to confirm it was the Philosophy 202 class. The doors were then locked, leaving approximately 40 people unable to escape. Yusuf Kaymak, another student present at the scene, told CTV that the attacker asked if the professor was indeed a professor before brandishing the weapons.
After the incident, three individuals were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The attacker, who is a confirmed member of the university community, was arrested shortly after the attack. Police declined to comment on the motive behind the attack.
The course, which is listed as “Gender Issues” on a student-led planning site, is described as exploring questions such as the differences between sex and gender, as well as the number of sexes. According to the most recent review on the course-planning site, the course focuses on trans philosophy and the professor put “a strong emphasis on validating trans/[nonbinary] experiences.”
University Provost James Rush urged patience and trust in the judicial process and a local LGBTQ+ support group, Spectrum, responded to the attack by saying it was “not surprised.” The professor who was attacked was not identified.