Police have charged a 50-year-old man after attempting a knife attack on a Winnipeg priest.
Winnipeg police said they received complaints from people suspended church services in the 300 block of Selkirk Avenue.
Police learned that when they arrived the 50-year-old suspect had approached Alter with a knife.
A 38-year-old priest was in Alter, where he was holding the service of that time.
“The suspect tried to assault the victim who could have escaped unharmed,” police said.
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Officials say the suspects pushed him to change the knife. He then sat in the chair behind Alter.
Police said no injuries were reported.
As a result of the incident, Pawel Olownia was charged with assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon, and interfering with a meeting.
With the help of other church attendees, police said unfair RCMP members helped the suspect into detention. When police arrived, they arrested Olownia.
The message on the parish’s Facebook page thanked everyone who helped during the incident.
The parish also said that all the public and dedication will still be celebrated as planned.
Montreal attack
A similar attack on the priest took place in Montreal in 2019. In that incident, the priest was attacked during a live stream of a church service by a man with a knife.
The incident attracted international attention from the media.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also often wished for a priest in his social media posts.
Vlad Cristian Eremia, the suspect in the case, was 27 years old at the time. He was ultimately found to be not criminally liable for his actions. Jeremiah was facing charges of attempted murder and assault with a weapon.
Grou returned to work a week later. He said he had no responsiveness to attack. He said he wanted the suspect to get the help he needed.
The Canadian media contributed to this report.
