CALGARY, Alberta – Only a week after the Franklin Regional High School mass stabbing that wounded 22 people, a University of Calgary student has been charged in the fatal stabbing of five people at an off-campus party.
Authorities say it is the worst mass slaying in Calgary’s history, reports CBS News.
Matthew de Grood, 22, has been charged with first-degree murder in the deaths, and the victims have been identified as Joshua Hunter, Kaitlin Perras, Jordan Segura, Lawrence Hong and Zackariah Rathwell, reports CBC. They were celebrating the last day of classes at the school.
Authorities are investigating the motive for Tuesday morning’s attack. The suspect was invited to the party, where there were about 30 people. He is suspected of obtaining the large knife used in the attack from the house and then targeting the victims one by one, reports CNN.
Neither the victims nor de Grood had any run-ins with police before the attack.
“This is a very shocking and tragic day for our students and our entire university family,” said President Elizabeth Cannon in a statement. “Our thoughts and condolences go out to the families of those who have lost their loved ones in this unimaginable and senseless tragedy.”
Counseling is being offered to students, and a community gathering was held yesterday afternoon.
