Kingston, Ontario – In a tragic incident on Thursday, two people lost their lives, and a third was critically injured following a series of violent stabbings near a safe injection site and an encampment on Montreal Street in Kingston, Ontario.
Mayor Bryan Paterson expressed his shock and dismay over the event in a statement released Thursday afternoon. The violence unfolded near the city’s Consumption Treatment Services and Integrated Care Hub at 661 Montreal Street.
"Kingston Police are reporting there are two fatalities, with a third person transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries," Paterson said in his statement.
The incident began around 10:40 a.m. near Belle Park, where police found the victims after responding to the scene. Frontenac County paramedics confirmed that all three victims, two males and one female, were taken to the hospital in critical condition.
An hours-long standoff between police and the alleged attacker ended with his arrest shortly before 5 p.m. Kingston Police closed a section of Montreal Street between Hickson Avenue and Railway Street as they investigated multiple crime scenes.
A witness, who lives in the nearby encampment, described the horrifying events, recounting how one man was punched to the ground and then repeatedly stabbed and beaten with a hatchet or hammer. The witness explained that another man tried to intervene and was also stabbed, while a woman was chased down the street and brutally attacked with a hammer.
The witness, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, said, “I’m numb right now. I still can’t believe it happened like that."
Several people shared their thoughts on Facebook about the tragic incident. Randy Taylor expressed frustration, saying, "Where are they supposed to go until a long-term solution is found?"
Jaay Welcome mourned the loss, posting, “Rest in peace to the 2 lives lost in this senseless act. I hope the person in critical care pulls through.”
Bruce Taylor added, “Sad, sad, it’s not the world; it’s the people in it. Condolences to the lost lives. Hopefully, the third pulls through.”
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and police are offering support to those affected at the Integrated Care Hub.