Suspect from University of Waterloo stabbing pleads guilty
Posted Jun 4, 2024 04:52:30 AM.
Last Updated Jun 4, 2024 11:29:13 AM.
The former student accused of a stabbing attack at the University of Waterloo last summer has pleaded guilty to some but not all of the charges he was facing.
Geovanny Villalba-Aleman made the plea on several charges in court Monday, according to multiple reports.
Those charges include two counts of aggravated assault; and one each of assault with a weapon, and assault causing bodily harm.
Villalba-Aleman, a former international student at UW, was 24 years old when the attack happened inside a gender studies classroom in Hagey Hall on June 28, 2023. It left a 38-year-old instructor and two students, a 19-year-old and a 20-year-old with injuries.
He is facing 11 charges including an attempted murder charge, terrorism charges and a mischief charge for allegedly damaging a pride flag.
Waterloo Regional Police said the attack is believed to be hate-motivated, and was a planned and targeted attack related to gender expression and gender identity.
The sentencing hearing is set for October 21 and is scheduled to last for five days.
The hearing will include victim impact statements and arguments from the Crown that this is a case of terrorism.
