A family member and a long-time friend of the stabbing suspect say the man they knew was nothing like the person captured in video footage of the attack.
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The man who died after allegedly stabbing two people and himself in downtown Kingston has been identified.
A friend and a family member both told Global News the 22-year-old suspect was Evan Freeman.
They said Freeman had previously lived in Brockville, Ont., before moving to Kingston recently.
The suspect was shot by police before he reportedly began stabbing himself in the throat. SIU says he was then struck by another police officer’s conducted energy weapon.
One of the two victims, a 40-year-old man friends have identified as C. B., died from injuries sustained in the stabbing.
The second victim, an 82-year-old man, named Terry Stafford, survived the attack. Kingston police Chief Antje McNeely says the senior was discharged from hospital on Friday.
Devon Kerr, who now lives in Prescott, Ont., says he’s been best friends with Freeman since they were both 15 years old. He said he recognized Freeman instantly when he saw the video.
Kerr said he was shocked to see his friend involved in the violent stabbing, since – as he put it – Freeman was “never like that.”
“I’m pretty angry, but also sad, because this could have gone a different way,” Kerr told.
Kerr said Freeman has a criminal record, but would not go into detail about his previous convictions. Kerr also declined to comment on whether Freeman had a history of drug abuse.
Despite Freeman’s apparent violent crime, Kerr said he wanted people to know that Freeman’s alleged attack was out of character.
The SIU not yet released details on the suspect’s cause of death. An autopsy was scheduled to be completed on Friday.
