Man armed with knife arrested after allegedly injuring 3 people at Châteauguay mosque

"He wasn't aggressive," says Mouad en Abdellatif, describing the 24-year-old man arrested after allegedly injuring three people at the Châteauguay mosque with a knife. Johanie Bouffard reports.

By The Canadian Press & News Staff

Three men have been injured after a 24-year-old man entered the Centre Culturel Musulman de Châteauguay — a mosque southwest of Montreal — armed with a knife on Friday afternoon.

Police in Châteauguay say the man entered the mosque on St-Jean Baptiste Blvd., where a physical altercation broke out with several individuals at around 1:40 p.m. but police wouldn’t confirm whether the knife was used to cause any of the injuries.

“I was here preaching with my brothers,” said Mouad en Abdellatif, who was upstairs at the mosque when the incident occurred. “And then suddenly someone came and said that someone is wandering here with a knife.”

“It’s hard to say that he meant to harm someone.”

The Centre Culturel Musulman de Châteauguay – Mosquée Arrahmane — on Sept. 20, 2024. (Courtesy: Johanie Bouffard/CityNews)

Three men in their 50s sustained minor injuries and one was transported to the hospital.

Authorities say the suspect was arrested on the spot.

“At around 1:40 p.m., a call was made to 911 for a man who had entered the Muslim Cultural Centre of Châteauguay,” said Marc-Olivier Chatelois, spokesperson for the Châteauguay Police Department.

Police add that the motive behind the incident remains unknown at this time.

“I want to say to the community that everything is ok, no problem,” said Abdellatif. “And the kid, we don’t know him because he’s not our age.”

“But what the kids said, he says, is a very nice guy,” he added. “Why he’s carrying another knife? Nobody knows.”

Châteauguay police vehicle seen on Sept. 20, 2024. (Courtesy: Johanie Bouffard/CityNews)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was disturbed to learn about the attack at the Centre Culturel Musulman de Châteauguay.

“While we wait for more information, my thoughts are with these individuals and entire congregation who must be very shaken right now,” he wrote on X.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) writing on X that they are aware of the incident.

“We are in touch with the local centre and will provide more information as it becomes available. However, we do not have information at this point to make a suggestion as to the motivation behind the incident, and we encourage our community not to speculate as the investigation continues.”

Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s special representative on combating Islamophobia, said the news was “very distressing.” 

“Our thoughts are with the victims, hoping the injuries sustained are not serious and that their recovery will not be difficult,” she said on X. 

The yellow crime scene tape was lifted around 7 p.m. and the center reopened for prayer.

More details to come.

—With files from The Canadian Press

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