Teen facing charges after Calgary Zoo parking lot machete attack

A teenager is facing charges after an assault in a parking lot at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo on Tuesday evening.

Police responded to the north parking lot of the zoo around 6:30 p.m. following multiple reports of a person swinging a machete at people and vehicles.

When officers arrived, they found a suspect and arrested him on the Memorial Drive bridge, according to a Wednesday news release.

Police believe the suspect was intoxicated by drugs and alcohol at the time of the incident.

The 17-year-old suspect is facing two counts of assault with a weapon, three counts of mischief to property and three counts of breach of release conditions.

He cannot be named under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The accused is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 4.

On Tuesday night, Calgary police told CTV News that 911 operators took many calls of an agitated male, believed to be a youth, who was wielding a broad, heavy knife in the facility's north parking lot, which was full for the annual Zoo Lights holiday attraction.

Police said the male arrived at the zoo via the CTrain and walked to the parking lot swinging the machete, striking two people.

One person sustained minor injuries and multiple vehicles were damaged, but police believe these were random attacks.

“We are grateful to the several bystanders who called 911 so this violent incident could be resolved quickly and without significant injury to members of the public,” Staff Sgt. Colin Chisholm of the Calgary Police Service said.

“It is always a concern when incidents like this occur in public spaces and threaten the safety of people who are out to enjoy the day with their families. We continue to work with our partners across Calgary to ensure the safety of public spaces and apprehend violent offenders so they can be held accountable for their actions.”

Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477, online or through the P3 Tips app.

The Calgary police victim assistance support team is available to provide support resources and information to victims of crimes. The team can be reached at 403-428-8398 or toll-free at 1-888-327-7828.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police by calling 403-266-1234.