A 30-year-old man is facing an attempted murder charge in connection with an ‘unprovoked’ stabbing in Mississauga over the weekend.
Police say they were called to the area of Eglinton Avenue West and Hurontario Street just before 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.
According to police, a woman had just gotten off a bus when a man stabbed her without warning and ran away.
When they arrived, police said they found a woman in her 20s with life-threatening stab wounds. A police source told CP24 that a civilian stepped in to save the woman’s life at the time of the attack.
She was taken to the hospital and is now recovering, police said.
On Tuesday, investigators announced that a suspect was arrested the previous day. He has been identified as John Ralph Nuthalapti from Brampton.
“Senseless acts of violence have a profound impact on victims and their families, and they erode the community’s sense of safety and trust. I commend 12 Division for their focused and effective work on this investigation in Mississauga, which led to bringing this individual into custody,” Peel police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said in a statement.
“We remain committed to ensuring those who commit violent crimes are held accountable and to upholding the safety of our communities.”
Police said the suspect and victim did not know each other and that the incident was being investigated as potentially hate-motivated, with gender considered a possible motivating factor.
The police source also said that a mental health assessment of the suspect is likely to be requested.
The charge against him has not been tested in court.
Police are asking anyone who may have footage from the time of the incident to contact them or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
With files from CP24’s Bryann Aguilar and CTV News Toronto’s Jermaine Wilson
