Hamilton police arrest suspect in pair of allegedly unprovoked Toronto stabbings

Police vehicles are seen outside Dufferin Station following two random stabbings in the area on Jan. 7.

A suspect has been arrested in connection with a pair of stabbings in Toronto’s west end which police say were unprovoked.

In a news release, police confirmed that 18-year-old Toronto resident Noah Christopher Chapman was apprehended by officers in Hamilton on Friday.

He was previously identified as a suspect in the Wednesday afternoon attacks, which occurred in and around Dufferin Station. Emergency crews were called to the area shortly after 4:30 p.m. that day for reports of a stabbing.

Investigators said that, in the first attack, the victim was in the underground mezzanine level of Dufferin subway station when they were approached by the suspect from behind and stabbed.

Moments later, on Bloor Street near Pauline Avenue, the suspect approached another victim from behind and stabbed them in the leg.

Video of the second incident was obtained by CTV News Toronto. In it, the victim can be seen grabbing his leg as the suspect runs off.

Both victims were transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police said neither of them knew Chapman.

It’s not immediately clear what Chapman was doing in Hamilton at the time of his arrest. Police have not said what may have motivated the attacks.

An employee of a nearby store said she heard people screaming following the second stabbing.

“It’s not like before,” the woman, who asked not to be identified, said. “Now, there is no safety, honestly.”

Some people who live in the area said the seemingly random incidents have left them feeling on edge.

“Why would somebody just stab someone, like minding their own business. It’s scary,” said a man near the scene on Thursday.

“We always have to watch our backs, you know, after an incident like that.”

Chapman is charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of carry concealed weapon, weapons dangerous, and theft under $5,000.

He appeared in court on Friday afternoon.

With files from Mike Walker