Man arrested after 3 injured in stabbing at Hamilton mosque, police say

Police have arrested a 40-year-old man after three people were injured in a stabbing at a downtown mosque in Hamilton.

Hamilton police said they received reports at 2:15 p.m. that several people had been stabbed "after an altercation" that started outside the mosque on York Boulevard and then continued inside the building.

The incident, police said, is not believed to be hate-motivated at this time and the people involved "were known to each other."

One person was transported to hospital, police said, with non-life-threatening injuries, and another was treated at the scene. A third person showed up at the hospital, police said, with non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation led officers to an address on Hamilton Mountain, where officers arrested a 40-year-old man, Hamilton police said in a news release Saturday. He has been charged with aggravated assault and two counts of assault causing bodily harm. 

Police initially said they were looking for two suspects who fled in an "unknown direction", but Saturday's news release says police have since determined a second suspect was not involved in the stabbing. 

'Prayer places should be safe': MP-elect

MP-elect for Hamilton Centre Aslam Rana was at the mosque late afternoon. He said he heard what happened and went to the scene, where he was able to speak with police.

He said he was told there was a prayer service at the mosque around 2 p.m. "There was a big gathering in here and this thing all happened near the shoe area," he said.

Rana had not spoken directly with the mosque's leadership, he added. 

"These prayer places should be safe and sound ... everybody should pray safely and go home safely," he told CBC Hamilton.