A professor and two students have been stabbed during a class on Gender Issues at a university in Canada.
Officers responded to a report of a stabbing at the University of Waterloo in southern Ontario at around 3:35 p.m. on Wednesday, Waterloo Regional Police said in a news release.
A man and two women were taken to hospital and treated for injuries that were not life-threatening, police said. A male suspect was quickly taken into custody, officers said, and the motive for the attack was not immediately clear.
The class, held at Hagey Hall, is part of an undergraduate philosophy course that involves "analysis of issues relating to sex/gender," according to the university website.
Police have not released the suspect's name, but have confirmed that he is a member of the university community.
"There is no further threat to public safety either on campus or outside in the broader community at this time," Waterloo Police Supt. Shaena Morris said at a news conference.
Nick Manning, the university's associate vice-president of communications, declined to confirm whether the suspect was a student or faculty member. He said two students and a professor had been stabbed.
"Our entire community is really concerned that this would happen here. It's a big shock," Manning told reporters during the news conference.
"Our first thoughts, of course, go to the students who were in the class and have turned immediately to making sure that, in addition to supporting the police inquiry, we've been there to support the mental health of our students and our staff."
Newsweek has contacted Manning by email for comment.
Waterloo students told Canadian broadcasters that the Gender Issues class was in progress when a man walked in.
"The guy came into our classroom, and asked our professor some weird question, and then the guy attacked our professor with two very big knives from the very big backpack," Jimmy Li told CTV News.
Yusuf Kaymak said: "The guy basically walked in and asked the teacher if he was the professor. He said 'Yeah,' then he pulled out a knife and after that, everybody just ran out.
"I ran out and, after we went outside, there was a kid that was stabbed. He was bleeding… I don't know what happened to the professor."
There were about 40 students in the class at the time, Kaymak said.
The university tweeted that there was "no further threat" to the campus at around 5 p.m. local time.
Classes scheduled for Wednesday evening in Hagey Hall were canceled, but all other campus operations are proceeding as usual, according to the university.
Hagey Hall will remain closed until Thursday as police continue their investigation, the university added.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777. They can also provide anonymous information by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit tips online at waterloocrimestoppers.com.
