In the wake of Monday’s stabbing in a washroom next to a busy food court downtown, Edmonton police are offering tips on how to be a good witness.
Many who saw the aftermath of the afternoon attack said they were shocked and unsure how to react.
“I just saw the guy screaming and bleeding. I was scared, too. I didn’t know how to help, because when I saw the blood, I was scared already,” said bystander Amy Quon, the owner of Chicken for Lunch, a nearby restaurant.
Witness Amy Quon said she was too scared to know how to help the victim in Monday’s stabbing. (CBC)
“You cannot just go and chase and chase — you cannot do that — because he has a weapon and he’s dangerous. You have to protect yourself before you can do anything.”
“I heard that it was a larger group of people with a hatchet, so in that instance I probably wouldn’t have stopped them, just because for my own safety,” said bystander Phil Tebby.
One witness did rush to help the victim after the attack. He later said he wished others had stepped in to stop the attackers.
“Edmonton, wake up, wake up,” Ray Houston told CBC News shortly after the stabbing.
But police say it’s safer and more important for bystanders to be good witnesses in crimes like this.
“We would caution people to take a moment before engaging in anything, because your personal safety is paramount,” said EPS spokesman Sgt. Steve Sharpe.
“In a particular case, such as with a stabbing, and somebody is down and injured and you intervene, there is a risk that you yourself will be stabbed.”
Instead, Sharpe advised witnesses to use their cell phone to call police to the area, along with EMS to help anyone who is injured.
