Listen: 2023-07-02 – Campus grieves for stabbing victims

By: M.P. Holmes

Twenty four hours after three people were stabbed in a classroom, the University of Waterloo and the wider community came together in two separate rallies to show solidarity and support . University President Vivek Goel and the Dean of Arts Sheila Ager offered support and encouraged those impacted by the event to seek counseling and focus on healing by taking a step back from work or studies if they felt the need to do so.

After the University’s gathering, another rally, organised at by students and community members, began at Hagey Hall. This gathering gave people an additional opportunity to speak on what happened, show support, and consider where to go from here.

Around 4pm on June 28th, Geovanny Villalba-Aleman, A 24-year-old former international student has been charged in the stabbings . Villalba-Aleman is charged with three counts of aggravated assault, four accounts of assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and mischief under $5,000.

Community members have been vocal and quick to point out the lack of any notification from the WatSafe app, an app developed by the UW and intended to, among other things, inform community members about major campus emergencies.

This show features a variety of voices from those attending the events.

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The music on this show is called “Documentary Intro” by MUSIC4VIDEO courtesy of the Music for Video Library on YouTube.

This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, Heritage Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.

Check out the archived versions of this program on radiowaterloo.ca/news, and listen to all the LJI content at canada-info.ca.

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