Four men face numerous charges in connection with the assault of two men in a ByWard Market parking lot yesterday morning.
Police said that, at 2:30 a.m., an argument ended with the two men being stabbed and whipped in the 300 block of Dalhousie Street before paramedics treated the victims for non-life-threatening injuries and transported them to hospital. They were later released.
Yesterday’s attack came as city police begin a one-week campaign today to crack down on crime in the Centretown area. Through May 4, there will be increased police presence in the area, which includes ByWard Market, Bank Street and Sandy Hill, said Sgt. Steve Hodgson.
Hodgson said nice weather leads to increased activity in the area.
“It tends to be busy this time of year before May long weekend.
“The bar crowd changes,” he said, adding that fights and criminal offences that happen in the area are usually related to alcohol.
Officers will focus on street-level drug dealing, prostitution, as well as increased enforcement of traffic offences, fire safety regulation compliance bylaws, highway traffic act offences and liquor licence act offences. RIDE programs are also planned.
Police will also be doing traffic enforcement, said Hodgson.
“There are a lot more bicycles on the road and motorists have to be aware of that,” he said.
“We want to make sure people understand that we’re not tolerating anything. It is a zero-tolerance campaign,” he said.
Facing charges in connection with yesterday morning’s stabbing are Yonas Ghedam, Ali Lubak, Mohamed Houssein and Mohiyadin Dirie. Each face two counts of assault with a weapon and at least one count of possession of a weapon dangerous to public peace.
Houssein faces an additional two counts of failure to comply with condition of an undertaking to an officer, while Dirie faces charges of failure to comply with condition of undertaking to an officer, two counts of breach of recognizance and one count of obstructing a peace officer.
