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48m ago

Ottawa Police Deem Stabbing of Jewish Woman a Hate-Motivated Crime After 71-Year-Old Is Charged

Police have classified the attack as hate‑motivated, prompting heightened patrols around Jewish sites as the case proceeds in court.

Jewish woman seriously injured in Canada grocery store stabbing, police call it hate crime.
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The Loblaws at College Square in Ottawa was the scene where a Jewish woman was stabbed while in the kosher section this week.
An Ottawa Police Service car sits parked outside an Ottawa grocery store after a woman was stabbed on Wednesday.

Overview

  • The victim, a woman in her 70s, was stabbed around 1:35 p.m. Wednesday inside the Loblaws at College Square and was treated in hospital and released.
  • Joseph (Joe) Rooke, 71, of Cornwall, was arrested at the scene, the weapon was recovered, and he is charged with aggravated assault and possession of a dangerous weapon with further counts possible.
  • Ottawa police confirmed Friday the incident is being treated as a hate‑motivated crime, and the Hate and Bias Crime Unit is assisting with an active investigation.
  • Police say the attack was unprovoked and that the suspect and victim did not know each other, and they urged anyone with information to contact investigators.
  • Jewish community groups reported stepped‑up security coordination, and leaders including Prime Minister Mark Carney, Premier Doug Ford and Mayor Mark Sutcliffe condemned the violence as outlets reported alleged antisemitic posts tied to an account identifying as the accused that police are examining.