A man once investigated for “espousing extremist views” faces terror charges after a rampage Saturday night injured five people, including a police constable, and turned Edmonton’s core into a chaotic scene of flashing blue and red lights accompanied by a chorus of sirens.
Police said Sunday that the investigation is ongoing, but it’s believed the suspect — named by police sources as Abdulahi Hasan Sharif — acted alone.
But in a bit of good news, Edmonton Police Chief Rod Knecht said the injured officer, Const. Mike Chernyk, had been released from hospital and was in “good spirits” despite significant abrasions on his arms and stab wounds to his face and head.
“It’s a testament to his experience and training that he survived the confrontation,” said Knecht.
He said four pedestrians suffered injuries ranging from broken limbs to brain bleeds. Two remain in hospital, the most serious with a fractured skull, and two have been released.
The 30-year-old suspect, in custody and not yet charged, is under arrest for offences including participation in a terrorist act, commission of an offence for a terrorist group and five counts of attempted murder.
The man came to Canada as a refugee from Somalia, according to RCMP K Division assistant commissioner Marlin Degrand and Public Safety Canada.
Suspect investigated in 2015
Police officials at the Sunday afternoon news conference refused to name the suspect, but Degrand said he was previously known to both Edmonton police and RCMP. In 2015, the RCMP K Division integrated national security enforcement team interviewed the man after police received information that he was “espousing extremist ideology.”
“At the end of that exhaustive investigation, there was insufficient evidence to pursue terrorism charges, or a peace bond,” Degrand said. “Further, the suspect was actually not deemed, at that time, to pose a threat to the security of Canada, based on the information that was available to investigators.”
Degrand added that the suspect had not resurfaced on law enforcement’s radar since the 2015 interview until this weekend.
Knecht said the investigation into the Saturday attacks remain “fluid” and police continue to conduct searches at various undisclosed locations in the city.
“We have no reason to believe there is any threat to our city, but we encourage citizens to be vigilant and to report any unusual or suspicious activities to the police complaint line,” he said.
Four hours of uncertainty
The chain of events started at about 8:15 p.m. Saturday as Chernyk staffed a routine Edmonton Eskimos game-day blockade by himself southwest of Commonwealth Stadium.
The officer, an 11-year veteran of the force, was standing alone near the stadium when a white Chevrolet Malibu crashed through the temporary wood barricade. The car slammed into Chernyk, sending him sailing about four-and-a-half metres through the air as the Malibu careened into a police vehicle.
In a graphic video of the incident released by Edmonton police Sunday morning, bystanders run to Chernyk where he lies on the ground, but the driver of the car also rushes over, knife in hand, and begins stabbing the downed officer.
In the video, the two men appear to wrestle with each other on the ground.
GALLERY:
‘ACTS OF TERRORISM’ INVESTIGATED
A police officer was injured after an attack near Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday Sept. 30, 2017.IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON JOURNAL
A police hat lay on the ground near where a police officer was injured on Saturday Sept. 30, 2017.
Edmonton police officers investigate after a man attacked a police officer outside of an Edmonton Eskimos game 92 Street and 107A Avenue in Edmonton, on Saturday Sept. 30, 2017.IAN…
Edmonton police officers investigate after a man attacked a police officer outside of an Edmonton Eskimos game 93 Street and 107A Avenue in Edmonton, on Saturday Sept. 30, 2017.IAN…
A U-Haul box truck was tipped over after a police chase west down Jasper Avenue on Saturday Sept. 30, 2017.IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON JOURNAL
A U-Haul box truck was tipped over after a police chase down Jasper Avenue on Sept. 30, 2017.IAN…
Paramedics work on one of the pedestrians struck down in an alleged terror attack on Jasper Avenue on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017.IAN KUCERAK/POSTMEDIA
An person is loaded on to an ambulance outside The Pint bar on 109 Street near Jasper Avenue after Edmonton police officers arrested a man following a high-speed chase.IAN…
Bar patrons are seen outside the The Pint bar on 109 Street near Jasper Avenue after Edmonton Police officers arrested a man nearby following a high-speed chase.IAN KUCERAK/POSTMEDIA
Bar patrons are interviewed by a police officer outside The Pint bar on 109 Street near Jasper Avenue following a high speed chase where several pedestrians were struck.IAN KUCERAK/POSTMEDIA
An injured person is loaded on to an ambulance outside the The Pint bar on 109 Street near Jasper Avenue after police arrested a suspect following a high-speed chase where several pedestrians were…
An overturned U-Haul truck is seen on 100 Avenue near 106 Street after Edmonton Police Service officers arrested a man who attacked a police officer outside of an Edmonton Eskimos game at 92…
An injured person is loaded on to an ambulance outside the The Pint bar on 109 Street near Jasper Avenue after police arrested a suspect following a high-speed chase where several pedestrians were…
Edmonton Police Service Chief Rod Knecht speaks to the media about a terrorist investigation after a police officer was attacked near Commonwealth Stadium.IAN KUCERAK/POSTMEDIA
Edmonton Police Service Chief Rod Knecht speaks to the media about a terrorist investigation after a police officer was attacked near Commonwealth Stadium.IAN KUCERAK/POSTMEDIA
Police investigate a U-Haul truck on 100 Avenue near 106 Street driven by a 30 year old man that was involved in ‘acts of terrorism’ after an EPS officer was stabbed and pedestrians run down. Taken on…
Crews clean up the scene where a cube van ran into pedestrians and later flipped over while being pursued by police, in Edmonton Alta, on Sunday October 1, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason…
Edmonton Police Chief Rod Knecht speaks about the ongoing investigation into multiple acts of terrorism underway after a man attacked a police officer and four bystanders in Edmonton, Alberta…
RCMP Assistant Commissioner Marlin Degrand speaks about the ongoing investigation into multiple acts of terrorism underway after a man attacked a police officer and four bystanders in Edmonton,…
Edmontonians link arms during the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta after a…
Edmontonians participate in the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton.IAN…
Edmontonians sing Oh Canada during the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta after a…
An injured person is loaded on to an ambulance outside The Pint bar on 109 Street near Jasper Avenue after Edmonton Police officers arrested a man nearby following a high-speed chase, where several…
Edmonton Police Service Insp. Trent Forsberg speaks during the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in…
Edmontonians participate in the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta after a police…
Edmontonians cheer during the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta after a police…
Edmontonians participate in the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta after a police…
Edmontonians participate in the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta after a police…
Mayor Don Iveson is seen during the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta after a…
Rami Issa, 12, holds an anti-ISIS sign during the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta…
Edmontonians link arms during the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta after a…
Faisal Khan Suri, AMPAC President, speaks during the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton,…
Edmontonians take in speeches during the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta after a…
Ahmed Knowmadic Ali speaks during the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta after a…
MC Aurangzeb Qureshi poses for a photo before the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton,…
Aumer Assaf speaks during the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta after a police…
RCMP Assistant Commissioner Marlin Degrand speaks about the ongoing investigation into multiple acts of terrorism underway after a man attacked a police officer and four bystanders in Edmonton,…
Ahmed Knowmadic Ali speaks during the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta after a…
Premier Rachel Notley speaks at the Stand Together Against Violence in Solidarity with EPS vigil organized by Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta after a…
A police officer was injured after an attack near Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday Sept. 30, 2017.IAN KUCERAK/EDMONTON JOURNAL
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“He was in a struggle for his life, holding on to his gun with one hand and blocking the knife with his other,” Knecht said.
Ultimately, the suspect gets up and flees on foot down 92 Street. Chernyk also gets up and begins to follow the suspect, but stops near the crashed Malibu. An emergency vehicle with flashing lights arrives on scene just before the video ends.
ISIL flag found in vehicle
An ISIL flag was discovered in the vehicle the suspect was driving, something Knecht said is now part of the investigation.
Using the registration information from the Malibu, Knecht said a description of the suspect and the name on the documents was provided to officers in the field. A net was dropped over much of north-central Edmonton as police launched a manhunt for the suspect, setting up checkpoints in neighbourhoods around the stadium, including on key bridges.
At around 11:40 p.m., officers, including one who had been on the job for just two weeks, stopped a U-Haul truck at a checkpoint at Wayne Gretzky Drive and 112 Avenue. The driver of the truck fled after the officer recognized the name on his licence as being similar to that of the registered owner of the Chevy Malibu.
“Because of the serious nature of the attack on the police officer a few hours earlier, a senior supervisor directed that the vehicle was to be pursued and stopped,” Knecht said.
The truck’s path through the city during the chase to Jasper Avenue was “sobering,” Knecht said. “The truck drove left of centre on several occasions, nearly T-boned at least one vehicle and attempted to run over civilians who were crossing the crosswalk on Jasper Avenue.”
Racing down Jasper Avenue
Durell Byron was driving home from a late night of work at the University of Alberta before midnight when he saw one of the victims get hit by the U-Haul.
Byron said he was stopped at a red light at Jasper Avenue and 108 Street, watching eight or nine police cars speed past in the opposite direction.
That’s when he looked to his left and saw a woman in her 20s with dark hair on the northeast corner of the intersection, sitting down on the sidewalk next to a large metal garbage can.
“This large white van — I don’t know whether it was trying to turn or keep going straight or if it was just trying to dodge the cops — but it hit the garbage can at full force and the girl,” Byron said.
Byron said the force of the impact knocked the woman across three lanes of traffic. She landed in the middle of the road, lying on her front and not moving.
The van continued southbound through the intersection.
Byron said he put his hazard lights on and left his car to help the woman, as did others. But police were on the scene immediately, and told the crowd to back away.
As police and other emergency vehicles converged on the downtown core, crowds of people streamed in and out of bars.
As police pursued the speeding truck, they executed a tactical manoeuvre that caused the U-Haul to crash and roll on its side, coming to a stop at 107 Street and 100 Avenue.
Officers descended on the truck, smashing the windshield and deploying a stun grenade to distract the suspect, Knecht said. When the driver resisted, police hit him with a Taser and arrested him.
“No shots were fired,” said Knecht. “In fact, no shots were fired anywhere in this entire incident.”
The man was examined by a doctor, a procedure requirement, and was still being interviewed by police on Sunday afternoon, the chief said.
A community responds
Edmontonians participate in a vigil organized by the Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council at Churchill Square in Edmonton.IAN KUCERAK / POSTMEDIA
As news of the attack spread, some racist vitriol appeared on social media. But just as quickly, calls came for unity and love.
Hundreds attended a vigil organized by the Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council in Churchill Square on Sunday evening. Attendees linked arms and chanted “We stand united. We will not be divided.”
That sentiment was echoed by politicians — messages of support poured in from everyone from local officials to the White House.
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley vowed to do everything in her power to stop terrorism in its tracks. “Freedom and liberty are core to who we are as Albertans, and that core can never be divided by those who know only fear, violence and hatred,” she said Sunday morning.
“Extremism in all its forms, in all its settings, must be rooted out wherever it is seen.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was outraged by the tragedy.
“We cannot — and will not — let violent extremism take root in our communities. We know that Canada’s strength comes from our diversity, and we will not be cowed by those who seek to divide us or promote fear,” Trudeau said.
Knecht said that by Sunday afternoon, police had already started engaging with various communities from across the city, and described Edmonton as a tolerant, welcoming place.
Degrand echoed the chief, and reiterated that it’s believed the crimes were the act of an isolated individual, and that if information about other suspects being involved comes to light, they’ll be dealt with “individually.”
“But I know from personal relationships I have within the great greater Edmonton community, that none of our citizens — Muslim or other — support this kind of activity,” Degrand said. “I think you’ll hear that loud and clear from those within that area. And I can tell you that this is an individual that has to be held accountable for his specific actions, and I don’t think we need to think beyond that,” he said.