WARNING: This story incorporates disturbing particulars.
Federal prosecutors on the sentencing listening to of a former pupil who went on a stabbing rampage on the College of Waterloo in southern Ontario final 12 months informed courtroom on Tuesday that his actions had been ideologically motivated.
On Tuesday, the second day of proceedings for Geovanny Villalba-Aleman, 25, federal Crown legal professional Howard Piafsky detailed the assault-related {charges}, which he had pleaded responsible to, in addition to terror-related offences which might be being thought-about as a part of sentencing.
Villalba-Aleman pleaded responsible in June to 4 assault-related {charges} within the stabbing of two college students and Katherine Fulfer, an affiliate professor, in Hagey Corridor in June 2023.
Piafsky stated Villalba-Aleman acted “to instil worry into his perceived enemies.”
One of many key elements of terrorism below Canadian regulation is that the act will need to have been dedicated for a political, spiritual or ideological objective.
The utmost penalty for the federal {charges} towards him is life in jail. Prosecutors want to get 16 years.
On Monday, the primary day of the week-long sentencing listening to in Kitchener, statements from Fulfer and the scholars who had been victimized by Villalba Aleman had been learn in courtroom.
Ex-student says assault ‘wasn’t private’
On Tuesday, courtroom heard from Villalba-Aleman via his police interview, recorded the day of the assault.
Villalba Aleman is seen wearing a white jumpsuit, sitting at a small desk, beside an officer, in the course of a room. Villalba Aleman detailed the assault and stated it was by no means his intention to kill anybody.
“It wasn’t private,” he stated originally of the interview. He later added he “simply wished to guard the liberty of academia.”
Villalba Aleman is a current graduate who got here to Canada in 2018 to enrol within the physics program on the College of Waterloo. After graduating slightly later than traditional, he informed the officer, he was targeted on getting work expertise earlier than happening to pursue his grasp’s degree.
Over time, he stated, he grew involved with the ideology being taught in gender-studies programs. He stated “woke” ideology was being compelled upon courses.
‘He wished the world to know’
Throughout their tackle to the courtroom, Piafsky and fellow federal prosecutor Althea Francis famous a number of different authorized precedents and repeatedly referenced the case of Nathaniel Veltman, the person who killed 4 members of a Muslim household in London, Ont., and severely injured a fifth in a hate-motivated assault in June 2021.
The prosecutors within the Villalba-Aleman case mentioned his intent and the way he selected to put up a manifesto on two web sites, together with Discord, earlier than finishing up the assault.
Folks stroll previous police vehicles on the College of Waterloo on June 28, 2023, after a triple stabbing in a gender-studies classroom. An affiliate professor and two college students had been taken to hospital. The previous pupil behind the assault has pleaded responsible and his sentencing listening to is that this week in Kitchener, Ont. (Aastha Shetty/CBC)
“It isn’t a thriller why he wished to commit the assault,” Piafsky informed the decide. “Actually, he wished the world to know.”
Francis introduced up the attacker’s alternative of weapons — two eight-inch serrated knives — and the way he had first tried to get a bow and arrow earlier than deciding it might be too laborious to function or disguise.
She referenced Villalba-Aleman’s physique language as he informed a police officer how he began out his day earlier than the assault, waking up at 2 a.m. to do laundry earlier than getting on his bike about an hour later to trip to the College of Waterloo.
“There was no indication within the interview with the officer that it was a nasty day,” Francis stated to the decide. “It was only a common day [for Villalba-Aleman].”
She famous how within the video interview with the Waterloo regional police officer, Villalba-Aleman had indicated he’d been considering of finishing up the assault since round April or Might of 2023.
“I did not wish to kill simply to kill,” he informed the officer, later including it was all the time a part of his plan to give up to police. “The target was to not stab deep.”
Geovanny Villalba-Aleman has pleaded responsible to 4 {charges} in reference to the 2023 stabbings. (Geovanny Villalba-Aleman/Fb)
Francis stated Villalba-Aleman’s remark to the officer — that he by no means supposed to kill anybody — had been self-serving as a result of he had clearly laid out an intent to kill within the manifesto he posted on-line earlier than finishing up the assault.
The legal professionals have additionally begun to research and talk about findings from a psychological report finished on Villalba-Aleman.
Up to now, they’ve spoken concerning the portion of the report that will get into Villalba-Aleman’s upbringing.
When the listening to continues, they’re going to talk about whether or not he has a situation that might have contributed to his determination to hold out the assault.
