At 4:11pm this afternoon, a stabbing was reported at the Red Lion Inn at 3266 Douglas Street in Saanich. As it was dispatched, a Traffic Safety Unit officer happened to be passing the hotel and was on scene immediately.
Multiple officers responded to the scene and entered the premises. Officers entered the foyer area and were met immediately by a victim, and then located at least two others, all were safely evacuated.
As officers began to conduct a search of the entire hotel, two further victims were located. The male stabbing suspect was taken into custody in an office within the hotel without any incident. He remains in police custody while detectives investigate.
There are a total of five victims with various injuries, some being more serious. It appears that none of the injuries are life threatening, at this point. The relationship between the suspect and the victims will be investigated by detective, however, it appears some or all of them may be known to each other.
There are multiple crime scenes within the hotel that the Saanich Police Forensic technicians are examining. The entire front portion of the hotel including the restaurants, bars, liquor store, foyer and working areas have been evacuated. Those that have rented rooms for the night in the back portion of the hotel have been allowed to remain.
The entire block where the hotel is located has also been secured by officers with the assistance of members of the Victoria Police Department. The public is asked to remain out of the area as the closure is anticipated to last through the night and into tomorrow.
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