2020 Toronto machete attack


The Toronto machete attack was an attack in a Toronto massage parlour on 24 February 2020.

Attack

Emergency crews were called to the establishment after reports of a man and a woman who were seen outside with lacerations. The two wounded outside were taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Inside the establishment a woman was found fatally wounded and she died at the scene. The woman was later identified as Ashley Noell Arzaga. She was 24 years old. She was a mother to a young girl and friends described her as a doting parent.

Arrest

A 17-year-old was arrested and charged with first degree murder and attempted murder. He cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
In May 2020, the charges were upgraded to "murder - terrorist activity" and "attempted murder - terrorist activity. In a joint statement, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Toronto Police Service announced that investigations had determined that the attack "was inspired by the Ideologically Motivated Violent Extremist movement commonly known as INCEL. " They also said: "As a result, federal and provincial Attorneys General have consented to commence terrorism proceedings, alleging that the murder was terrorist activity... and the attempted murder was terrorist activity." It was the third deadly incident in Toronto which has allegedly been attributed to inceldom in the space of two years, after the April 23, 2018 Toronto van attack and the 2018 Toronto shooting on July 22, 2018.