Victims and suspect in fatal High Park station stabbing did not know each different, say Toronto police

Toronto police have recognized the girl killed in a double stabbing at High Park subway station stabbing on Thursday afternoon as 31-year-old Vanessa Kurpiewska, saying she was killed by a stranger.

Officers have been referred to as to High Park station shortly after 2 p.m. over studies an individual was assaulting and stabbing individuals on the eastbound platform. When police arrived, they discovered two feminine victims, who got medical consideration on the scene earlier than being rushed to hospital.

Kurpiewska, of Toronto, died in hospital. Police described the second sufferer, who has not been recognized, as a 37-year-old girl. She was handled for non-life-threatening accidents at hospital and has been launched.

“The accused and victims were not known to each other,” police mentioned in a Friday information launch.

Police have not but launched an account of the attacker’s alleged motive.

Neng Jia Jin, 52, of Toronto was arrested Thursday and has been charged with first-degree homicide and tried homicide.

He is predicted to seem in court docket at Old City Hall on Friday morning.

On Thursday, Toronto police Insp. Lori Kranenburg mentioned investigators had already interviewed a number of witnesses however have been interesting for anybody who’d seen one thing to return ahead, including that officers may also be video footage from the scene.

The double stabbing has prompted a flood of response over one more a collection of violent incidents on or close to TTC stations this 12 months.

“I am absolutely horrified. Toronto has seen too much violence against women and it must stop,” native Coun. Gord Perks mentioned.

Added Mayor John Tory: “We can never accept acts of violence of this kind happening anywhere in our city.”

On April 7, 21-year-old worldwide scholar Kartik Vasudev was shot dead outside the entrance to Sherbourne station. Alleged gunman Richard Jonathan Edwin, 39, was charged in Vasudev’s killing and the fatal capturing of Elijah Eleazar Mahepath close to Moss Park 48 hours later. According to police, both killings were random attacks.

On April 17, Shamsa Al-Balushi narrowly missed being struck by a prepare after she was shoved onto the tracks at Bloor-Yonge station. A forty five-year-old girl was arrested and charged with tried homicide. In May, Al-Balushi launched a $1 million lawsuit claiming the TTC failed to protect her from and did not respond promptly to the incident. The TTC called for the lawsuit to be dismissed.

The similar month, 30-year-old Mario Greco suffered non-life-threatening accidents after being stabbed on the platform at St. George station in what police referred to as another random attack.

On June 17, 28-year-old Nyima Dolma was set on hearth on a TTC bus outdoors Kipling station by an attacker police mentioned she had “no relation with.” She died of her accidents a month later. Tenzin Norbu, 33, was charged with first-degree murder.

The stabbings Thursday induced transit chaos close by, with lengthy strains of individuals snaked across the block at Bloor and Keele streets hours later, pushing to get onto shuttle buses.

TTC spokesperson Stuart Green insisted that the TTC remains to be secure to experience.

“Safety of customers and employees is paramount to all the TTC does,” he mentioned. “The TTC moves hundreds of millions of customers every year without incident, but is constantly looking at ways to improve safety.”

A video circulating on-line and posted by some media web sites seems to indicate police making an attempt to take the attacker into custody, shouting on the man to get down on the bottom. Nervous commuters might be seen watching from a distance.

Anyone with info can contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.

With recordsdata from Josh Rubin.

Ana Pereira is a breaking information reporter, understanding of the Star’s radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @anabpereiraa