Calgary man charged in Stampede midway stabbing that injured 3 people

Calgary police discuss charges laid in a stabbing at the Stampede in July that saw three people injured.

A Calgary man is facing charges in connection with a stabbing at the Calgary Stampede midway back in July that injured three people.

The stabbing happened near the Euroslide just after 11 p.m. on Tuesday, July 8, following a performance by American rapper Don Toliver on the Coca-Cola stage.

Police arrived to find one man who had been injured. He was taken to hospital in life-threatening but stable condition.

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Later, officers were called to two different locations nearby for reports of people in medical distress.

A youth was found near 17 Avenue and Macleod Trail S.E., while a man was discovered near Erlton Street and 27 Avenue S.W.

Both were taken to hospital in serious but stable condition.

Investigators determined all three had been involved in the same incident near the Euroslide.

Police say a search warrant was executed at a suspect’s Calgary home on Tuesday, at which time officers seized a folding knife and clothing “consistent with what the suspect was wearing and using at the time of the incident.”

Irfan Mohammadi, 18, is charged with three counts of aggravated assault.

“It’s our understanding the two groups were known to each other through school and had had a small verbal altercation earlier in the day, and then once they saw each other again it transpired into a more serious incident,” Acting Insp. Scott Campbell said at a Friday news conference.

“But we don’t really have a motive for what caused it to escalate so quickly into a stabbing.”

Campbell said the large amount of video taken by those who witnessed the incident assisted in the investigation.

Additional officers had been brought in that evening to help with policing the grounds due to the large crowd expected to show up for Don Toliver’s performance.

Campbell said it’s unknown whether the Calgary Stampede plans to beef up security at next year’s event.

“We’ll be evaluating what the concerts are and how many officers we should deploy. It does fluctuate depending on what act is on stage.”

Mohammadi is set to appear in court on Tuesday.

Campbell says he was not known to police prior to the stabbing.

Anyone with any additional information about the incident is asked to call police at 403-266-1234.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers.