Man charged with five counts of attempted murder for Edmonton attacks
The man accused of stabbing an Edmonton police constable on the weekend and running down four pedestrians on Jasper Avenue has not been charged with terrorism-related offences.
Abdulahi Hasan Sharif, 30, has been charged with five counts of attempted murder, five counts of criminal flight causing bodily harm, dangerous driving and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, RCMP announced at a news conference at Edmonton police headquarters on Monday.
“We are still very much in the infancy stage [of the investigation],” RCMP Superintendent Stacy Talbot told media.
She said RCMP continue to investigate and gather information.
RCMP Supt. Stacey Talbot speaks about the weekend attacks in Edmonton at a news conference Monday. Behind Talbot is RCMP Chief Supt. George Stephenson.
Asked why Shariff wasn’t charged with participation in a terrorist attack, Talbot said: “The complexities of a terrorism investigation are vast. If warranted, further charges will be pursued.”
On Sunday, Edmonton police said Sharif was facing possible charges for participating in a terrorist attack and commission of an offence for a terrorist group.
- Terrorism charges pending in Edmonton attacks
- Police investigate ‘acts of terrorism’ after officer stabbed, pedestrians run down
The accused was apprehended after a chaotic Saturday night in Edmonton.
A Chevrolet Malibu plowed into a police crowd-control barricade, sending an officer more than five metres into the air before the driver left the vehicle and proceeded to stab the officer repeatedly.
Const. Mike Chernyk, 48, was conducting traffic duties outside the Edmonton Eskimos game when he was struck and subsequently attacked.
Chernyk was treated for stab wounds to his head and face and abrasions on his arms. The 11-year veteran of the force has since been released from hospital.
About four hours after the attack on Chernyk, a U-Haul truck struck pedestrians along Jasper Avenue at 107th Street before the van flipped and the driver arrested on 100th Avenue at 106th Street.
Four pedestrians suffered injuries ranging from “broken arms to brain bleeds,” police Chief Rod Knecht said during Sunday’s police news conference.
Two pedestrians have been released from hospital. Two remain in hospital, one in serious condition, Talbot confirmed Monday.
Sharif was investigated in 2015, for allegedly espousing extremism, but investigators said there was insufficient evidence for an arrest and it was found he was not a national security threat.
‘Not as safe as we thought’
Jaylene Ellard was on her way to a friend’s birthday party Saturday night when she saw the cube van peel down the street with a fleet of police cars following.
It was pandemonium in downtown Edmonton that night. She has had trouble sleeping ever since.
“It was just chaos,” Ellard said on Monday. “I was like I disassociated from it a little bit. I saw what was happening but I was almost on the outside.
“You’re just trying to piece everything together in the moment.”
Ellard fears the attack will incite racist backlash in the city. Her sentiments were echoed by fellow witness Cody Cooper, who watched pedestrians thrown into the air by the speeding cube van.
Allowing the event to fuel more hatred and discrimination will only make a horrible situation even more tragic, he said.
“I hope people don’t act on it,” said “It’s a terrible thing but just to add chaos to chaos is not going to help the situation.”
Cooper is calling for community solidarity after the attacks, which have left him feeling unsafe in his home city.
“I did not see it coming. I mean, we’ve all thought about with terrorists attack happening everywhere, but I never thought they would hit Edmonton,” said Cooper.
“I guess we have to be a little bit more careful now — watch what we’re doing, where we’re going — Edmonton is not as safe as we thought.”
Sharif is scheduled to appear in court in Edmonton at 9 a.m. on Tuesday.
As the case is now before the courts, RCMP said Monday’s availability would be the last formal news conference on the case.
Article source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/terrorism-charges-edmonton-attacks-1.4316450?cmp=rss