Canada’s Waterloo Regional Police (WRP) is investigating a multiple stabbing incident that occurred at the University of Waterloo on Wednesday.

WRP arrested 24-year-old Geovanny Villalba-Aleman, a resident of Waterloo, Ontario, as a result of the investigation, according to a press release issued Thursday. He was charged with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

It was indicated that the young man is an international student at the University of Waterloo. On his Facebook page, the suspect identifies as an Ecuadorian resident of Waterloo, who graduated in April this year with a degree in Physical Sciences.

The statement acknowledged that Villalba-Aleman had signed up for a gender studies class; investigators believe it was a hate-motivated incident related to gender expression and gender identity.

There were about 40 students in the class at the time of the event. Three people – a teacher and two students – were stabbed to death in the attack. The victims suffered serious, but not life-threatening injuries.

When the police arrived at the classroom, the young man tried to sneak away and pretend to be one of the victims, but several witnesses identified him as the perpetrator of the attack. He was in the building and was arrested.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the university stabbings by calling them “heinous and unacceptable”.

“This kind of violence should always be condemned,” Trudeau said. “Our thoughts are with the professor and two students who were injured,” he added.