Gun rights advocates have long maintained that removing firearms from law-abiding citizens will not eliminate violence. Individuals or groups of people intent on harming others will often go to great lengths to do so, such as purchasing a gun illegally or turning to other more easily accessible weapons, argue firearms supporters.

A mass stabbing at an Ontario high school illustrates that firearms are not the only threat, yet you’ll hear no one calling for a ban on knives. The horrifying act of violence, which left nine people injured, occurred despite Canada’s restrictive firearm laws (which prohibit concealed carry), highlighting the fact that gun bans don’t necessarily prevent mass killings or injuries.

Guns are more difficult to access in Canada than in the U.S.; however, occurrences of violent crime are not unheard of. In fact, such crimes are increasingly being carried out with knives.

Knives prove just as dangerous as guns

In April 2014, CBC News Canada published a piece titled Calgary stabbings: How knife crime in Canada can cause ‘moral panic.’ Citing Canada’s crime statistics from the year 2008, the article states that “one-third of homicides or attempted murders involved knives — more than any other type of weapon, including firearms.”

A teenage girl who went on a stabbing spree at her high school suggests attacks of this nature are not yet on the decline in Canada. However, since firearms are already largely restricted, and there’s no campaign to ban knives on the horizon, law enforcement and government officials appear baffled as to how to curb future attacks.

Six students and three faculty members were injured after a 14-year-old female high schooler showed up to class armed with two large knives. Her identity is unconfirmed as it’s protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, according to Global News.

She has been charged with 15 criminal offenses including assault, six counts of assault causing bodily harm, seven counts of assault with a weapon and possession of a deadly weapon, say police. On Feb. 23, the teen ambushed students as they headed to class at Dunbarton high school in Pickering, Ontario around 8:30 a.m. ET.

‘I saw a young girl holding a very pointy kitchen knife’

The violent teen was stopped when two faculty members intervened, according to reports. Students who witnessed the attack expressed their fear while sharing their stories with the media.

“I just walked into school today and when I got here, I just saw everyone run,” said a 12^th grader named Dalton.

Student Tyler Stevens said he saw the stabber in the hallway holding a knife in each hand. “I was on my way to my first period class when I saw a young girl with a very pointy kitchen knife and it was actually quite frightening.”

One girl appeared to have a neck injury, while another male student was wounded in the stomach, said Stevens. “I just wanted to run, get out of there. I wasn’t sure what to do.”

Tenth grader Sam Turner described the chaos he witnessed while trying to get to class that Tuesday morning. “Teachers were moving around screaming and telling us to get into classrooms and students were coming telling us to get into classrooms … a lot of us thought it was a joke.”

Fortunately no one was killed, and those who suffered injuries are expected to make a full recovery.

“All of the injuries right now are minor in nature,” said Durham Regional Police Sgt. Bill Calder. “Four have gone to hospital to be treated for minor injuries. Two of those injured were staff members.”

The knife-yielding teen was reportedly well known in her high school, but not for her popularity. She repeatedly changes her name, said one student, adding that she wears a wig and is quite isolated.

An “educational assistant” at the school said the girl was “verbally bullied,” reports Metro News.

“Bullying is a huge thing that she had to deal with and I think people should know that was something that could have triggered her,” said Tricia Goodchild, who spent hours each day working with the girl.

Goodchild said the attack seemed out of character for her. “I felt that she was so sad and so depressed, I thought that, if anything, she would try to hurt herself. I never thought she would try to hurt other kids,” she said.

Sources:

GlobalNews.ca

CBC.ca

MetroNews.ca