Suspect at large after woman and youth injured in sword attack on P.E.I. beach

CITYnews halifax \ By The Canadian Press

SEACOW POND, P.E.I. — Mounties in Prince Edward Island were searching for a suspect on Saturday after two people were attacked by a man wielding a sword at a beach the previous evening. 

Police said a man wearing a dark surgical mask and carrying a sword approached three people at Seacow Pond, a rural community on the western tip of the Island, on Friday. They allege the suspect attacked a woman and a youth before fleeing on foot.

“This person is not yet in custody and the investigation is continuing,” Cpl. Gavin Moore said in an interview Saturday morning.

Police said the 42-year-old woman suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries, the youth suffered minor injuries and the third person was unhurt.

Witnesses reported seeing the man going through backyards in Seacow Pond, and police issued an emergency alert for the surrounding area asking residents to lock their doors and stay away from windows. The alert was lifted hours later as there was no immediate risk to the public.

Moore said an alert situation is exclusively for when there is “a perceived immediate threat to the public.” He added there is still no current risk, but residents should still be cautious and lock their doors.

“We encourage anybody in the community to continue with enhanced safety practices, like locking doors and looking out for each other,” he said.

The RCMP’s major crime unit was still investigating the incident as of Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 2, 2023.

The Canadian Press