Shelter in place order into 2nd day in Deep River after woman stabbed

Shelter in place order into 2nd day in Deep River after woman stabbed

Residents asked to stay indoors, keep doors and windows locked as a precaution

Residents of Deep River, Ont., are still being told to shelter in place as a precaution Thursday after a woman was stabbed and critically injured Wednesday afternoon.

People in the town of about 4,200 people along the Trans-Canada Highway have been asked to stay inside, lock their doors and windows, close their blinds and avoid interacting with anyone they do not know since around 7:20 p.m. Wednesday.

Some of the community's schools and businesses say they are closed until further notice.

There's no information about any suspects or arrests.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said Thursday officers responded to a "serious incident" around McElligott Drive at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

One person was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. They were still alive as of 11 a.m. Thursday, OPP said.

CBC News has learned that the victim was a woman.

Wyatt Krueger said one of his friends and colleagues brought the victim to hospital.

"Obviously it's something traumatic, but [my friend] seems all good," he said.

In an update posted at 2 a.m. on Thursday, Deep River police said they and OPP are actively investigating and "are working to locate the suspect involved. At this time, the suspect has not been arrested."

OPP Const. Mike Mahon did not answer directly when asked early Thursday afternoon if there is an ongoing threat to public safety, but said the investigation is ongoing and the shelter in place is still in effect.

He said the order is "for several reasons," including the need to find a suspect and to ensure police resources are in the right place.

"Right now the biggest issue is trying to get the resources here, because Deep River is not downtown Ottawa," Mahon said.

"I think we're all very anxious," Deep River Mayor Suzanne D'Eon told CBC News on Thursday.

"Certainly these things are very unusual in our community. I'm worried for the family and friends of the victim. I don't know who the victim is, but my heart goes out to them."

Schools, town facilities closed

Deep River is a rough halfway point on a drive between Ottawa and North Bay. It, and Mattawa on the other side, are hubs for stopping before a drive through a largely remote area along the Ottawa River just east of Algonquin Park.

The Town of Deep River wrote Thursday morning that all town facilities are closed until further notice and waste collection will be postponed.

The Renfrew County District School Board wrote online that Mackenzie Community School is closed Thursday and that buses in the Deep River area have been cancelled.

The Renfrew County Catholic District School Board said St. Mary's OLGC School would also be closed.

St. Anthony's Catholic School in Chalk River, south of Deep River, wrote online Thursday that it will be open but buses are cancelled and the school is "taking additional precautions," including keeping students indoors for the entire school day.

Other businesses and organizations also reported disruptions online on Thursday, including Deep River and District Health, the local Canadian Tire and Carefor Health and Community Services.

Krueger told CBC News the town is much quieter than usual. He was at work Thursday morning and said his boss was calling occasionally to check on him and his coworkers.

Shelter in place ongoing for Deep River following reported stabbing: police

"The community has been really good to try and follow all the guidance" from police, mayor D'Eon said, but added that she wished there had been a better way to get the word out about the shelter in place order other than social media and "going around in a firetruck with a loudspeaker."

"I certainly want to look into that and try to resolve that right away," she said.

When asked why some kind of phone alert was not sent, Mahon told CBC News that officers did what they deemed was appropriate at the time.

Gabrielle is a journalist for CBC News in Ottawa and Sudbury who loves to learn new things. She has a bachelor's degree in the humanities and journalism from Carleton University and has previously written for tech outlets like TheGamer and MobileSyrup. Reach out to her for any reason at gabrielle.huston@cbc.ca.

With files from Jodie Applewaithe, Kristy Nease and Radio-Canada's Claudine Richard