An Ottawa bagpiper says he expects to be busking again soon after being allegedly assaulted by a man wielding a knife in the downtown area last weekend. Kevin Murison was bagpiping at his usual spot near the Fairmont Chateau Laurier on Wellington Street on Saturday afternoon when he found himself on the receiving end of an unprovoked attack. Murison says the spot typically treats him well and his music usually draws a positive response from those passing by. “I love seeing the reactions of people, young kids. I get so many positive comments. I love to play. People love the pipes,” Murison told 580 CFRA’s Ottawa at Work with Patricia Boal on Thursday. “I just really enjoy it.” However, while Murison was taking a break from playing, a car pulled into the bike lane on the side of the road near him. “A guy gets out, asks if he can take a picture with me. I say ‘sure, no problem,’” Murison said. The man approached and Murison says he quickly noticed that the stranger had no phone or camera in his hands. “I’m thinking, ‘I thought you wanted to take a picture with me,’ and then the next thing I know, he has a knife.” The man proceeded to use the knife on Murison, damaging his bagpipes and injuring his hand, before driving off. “It’s all kind of a blur,” Murison said. “But the end result, the bag for the bagpipe got a deep gash in it, and my thumb got sliced.” Murison says a bystander got a photo of the car, and another called 911. Murison was told police had arrested the suspect as he was receiving first aid from paramedics. Ottawa police say an investigation is ongoing, but the suspect has been charged with assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm, possession of a dangerous weapon, obstructing/resisting arrest and two counts of breaching probation. Police said Murison was attacked “without provocation” with an edged weapon. In the end, Murison needed four stitches to his thumb. While he will have to wait a while more for his bagpipes to get repaired and his thumb to heal, Murison hopes to be back playing music for the public soon. “There’s a little bit of hesitancy, yes, but I’m not going to let that stop me. I’m going to be right back out there as soon as my pipes get fixed up, my thumb heals.”
