17-year-old wielding machete at Calgary Zoo arrested: police

A 17-year-old wielding a machete went on a rampage, randomly attacking people and vehicles in the Calgary Zoo parking lot Tuesday, police say.

In an updated news release Wednesday afternoon, police say they responded to calls about a person “swinging a machete at people and vehicles” in the north parking lot of the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo at 6:30 p.m.

When they arrived, one person was found with minor injuries, and multiple vehicles were damaged in “random attacks.”

Shortly after, officers found the suspect on the Memorial Drive Bridge and arrested him, believing him to be intoxicated by drugs and alcohol.

Investigators say the suspect faces three counts of mischief to property and three counts of breach of release conditions.

Due to his age, police cannot name him under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

“We are grateful to the several bystanders who called 911 so this violent incident could be resolved quickly and without significant injury to members of the public,” says Staff Sgt. Colin Chisholm in a news release.

“It is always a concern when incidents like this occur in public spaces and threaten the safety of people who are out to enjoy the day with their families. We continue to work with our partners across Calgary to ensure the safety of public spaces and apprehend violent offenders so they can be held accountable for their actions.”

Officers say they recognize the events Tuesday have impacted the community, so they are providing information about the Victim Assistance Support Team (VAST).

It is a free service that provides support, resources and information to victims of crime and tragedy. VAST can be reached at 403-428-8398, or toll-free at 1-888-327-7828.

The suspect will next appear in court on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024.

Police ask anyone with information about this incident to call them at 403-266-1234 or leave a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.