Quebec City Stabbing: Man Charged For Killing 2 On Halloween Night

A man was charged for allegedly stabbing at least two people to death and injuring five others in the Canadian city of Quebec on Halloween night while dressed in medieval attire and armed with a sword, reports state.

The 24-year-old suspect, identified as Carl Girouard, was charged Sunday with two counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder for allegedly attacking seven people randomly. His next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Police were called at around 10.30 p.m. ET on Oct. 31. The arriving deputies found the victims in separate locations in the neighborhood, including near the Château Frontenac hotel, on du Trésor Street, and on des Remparts Street, according to CBC.

Girouard was located in Montreal on Sunday morning and arrested, the provincial police said in a tweet. Police identified the deceased as Francois Duchesne, 56, and Suzanne Clermont, 61.

The motive behind the attack was personal and Girouard isn’t affiliated to any terrorist organization, Quebec City ​police Chief Robert Pigeon said at a news conference Sunday, CBC reported. The crime was premeditated and Girouard, originally from Montreal, came to Quebec City with the intention of inflicting "the most damage possible," Pigeon said at the news conference.

"Dressed in medieval costume and armed with a Japanese sword, everything leads us to believe he chose his victims at random," the publication quoted Pigeon, as saying.

Pigeon said that Girouard has no criminal history but had spoken of conducting an attack "in a medical context" five years ago. The suspect was taken to the hospital for evaluation after his arrest. The five wounded people reportedly remain hospitalized with varying levels of injury.

Addressing the incident, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement on Twitter. "My heart breaks for the loved ones of the two killed in last night's horrific attack in Quebec City. I'm also wishing a full recovery to the injured. We're keeping you in our thoughts and will be there for all of you," he wrote in a tweet.

Quebec City Mayor ​Régis Labeaume also offered his sympathies to the families of the deceased and those who were injured.

In 2017, a Canadian man opened fire at Grande Mosquée de Québec, a Quebec City mosque, while evening prayers were going on, killing at least six people. The man was later sentenced to life in prison.