Accused in University of Waterloo triple stabbings to return to court July 25

The 24-year-old man accused of stabbing three people in a gender studies class at the University of Waterloo last month appeared via video in a Kitchener, Ont., courtroom Tuesday.

Geovanny Villalba-Alemanfacesthe following charges:

• Three counts of aggravated assault.
• Four counts of assault with a weapon.
• Two counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
• Mischief under $5,000.

During theroutine court appearance, Villalba-Aleman, appearing fromthe Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton, spoke only briefly to the judge to confirm details about himself. He is scheduled to return to court by video on July 25.

Viillalba-Alemanhas no criminal record. He recently graduated from the university.

Villalba-Alemanis accused of entering a classroom in Hagey Hall and stabbing an instructor and two students on June 28.

A38-year-old female professorfrom Kitchenerand two studentsa 20-year-old female and a 19-year-old male, both from Waterloo were takento hospital withserious but non-life-threatening injuries.

In a news conference a day after the stabbings, Waterloo RegionalPolice Service Chief Mark Crowelldescribed what happened in the classroomas a "planned andtargeted attack" that wasa"senseless act of hate."

The stabbing has prompted conversations on campus about safety, particularly after the WatSAFEapp meant to alert students, faculty and staff about potentially dangerous situations did not work as intended on June 28.

The university has said it willhost two community forumson July 17 to hear from staff and students about their concerns, and look for ways to "make campus safer and more inclusive, promote well-beingand move forward together."