DELTA, B.C. — An off-duty police officer and a woman were stabbed outside a private elementary school on Wednesday in Delta, B.C.
The male officer was at Immaculate Conception elementary school just after 3 p.m. and witnessed an assault between a man and a woman in front of the school, police said in a news release.
"He intervened, and during the altercation the woman and the officer were stabbed," said Delta Police spokeswoman Cris Leykauf.
The two people were transported to hospital in serious to critical condition, British Columbia Emergency Health Services said.
Police said later Wednesday that the conditions of both victims are considered to be serious.
The suspect was taken into custody, but police said the scene remained active and advised parents to pick up their children at a location away from the school.
Principal Maurice Jacob said that during the incident, the school went into a lockdown, which students and staff have practised in the past.
"All the children are safe. No children were harmed at all. No staff were harmed at all," he said.
He said all the children had left the school and been picked up by their parents by 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Jacob said he could not comment on the incident itself or the identity of the woman who was injured.
Police said more information will be released as it becomes available.
The DPD would like to thank everyone who has reached out regarding our officer and the woman involved in the altercation at Immaculate Conception yesterday. The officer’s condition has been upgraded to stable. The woman involved still remains in serious condition.
— Neil Dubord (@ChiefNeilDubord) February 21, 2019
Ernie Saunders, who lives on the 12th floor of a highrise next to the school, said he looked out his window when he heard many sirens.
"The area's all cordoned off and the actual stabbing area is cordoned off."
Saunders said police had a suspect sitting on the grass in handcuffs.
"He's off to jail, I guess," he said. "The lady and the other officer are off to hospital."
