KITCHENER, Ont. — A provincial Crown attorney is arguing that a man who stabbed three people in a University of Waterloo gender studies class last year was motivated by hate, as his sentencing hearing continues.
Geovanny Villalba-Aleman has pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault, one count of assault with a weapon and one count of assault causing bodily harm in the June 2023 attack.
Federal prosecutors have argued the offences amount to terrorism in this case because they were motivated by ideology and meant to intimidate the public.
Provincial prosecutors are also arguing today that Villalba-Aleman's offences were hate-motivated because he expressed hatred for members of the LGBTQ+ community in a manifesto, and told police in an interview that he specifically wanted to target a gender studies class.
On Wednesday, court heard from a psychologist who recently assessed Villalba-Aleman.
Smita Vir Tyagi told the court Villalba-Aleman appeared to be in a downward spiral and may have experienced a psychotic break in the weeks leading up to the attack – but prosecutors argue any mental-health conditions he may have had should not mitigate his crimes.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2024.
The Canadian Press
