A woman has been arrested after she allegedly pulled out a knife at a Canadian Tire in Scarborough while reportedly voicing her support for the Islamic State, a source tells CTV News Toronto.
The incident unfolded inside the store at Cedarbrae Mall, near Markham Road and Lawrence Avenue, at around 5:15 p.m. Saturday.
Toronto police say the woman initially walked to the paint section of the hardware store with a golf club where she began swinging it at a customer and store employees while uttering threats.
They say employees and customers were able to restrain the woman and call the police.
At some point before officers arrived, the woman pulled out a large knife from underneath her clothing.
A store employee told CTV News Toronto that when the woman brandished the knife, she started to express support for the Islamic State.
That same employee said they believe the situation unraveled after another employee approached her after suspecting that she was shoplifting.
Police say another employee was eventually able to disarm the woman by grabbing her wrist and prying the knife out of her hand.
She was arrested when officers arrived at the scene.
A suspect identified as 32-year-old Toronto resident Rehab Dughmosh has been charged with a two counts of assault with a weapon, one count of assault, one count of uttering threats to cause death, two counts of possession of a weapon for committing an offence and one count of carrying a concealed weapon.
She made a brief court appearance Tuesday morning.
A CTV News Toronto reporter inside the courtroom during the proceeding said the woman was wearing a green prison sweatsuit, a black niqab and handcuffs.
When asked to say her name, the woman responded by saying, “ISIS… I pledge to the leader of the believers – Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.”
She was remanded into custody until a second court appearance on June 21 at 9 a.m.
