Man charged after allegedly assaulting child at CBSA offices

EDMONTON (CityNews) – A family from Namibia is shaken up, after a frightening incident at the downtown Edmonton CBSA offices.

It all unfolded on Friday, where the family were attending a deportation hearing for the father, Nickolas Tutjavi.

His wife and three children (three, five and 15) waited in a separate room during the hearing. That’s when a man apparently came in agitated and was saying, “do you want to see blood?”.

That’s when it’s alleged he grabbed the three-year-old with what appeared to be a knife and threatened to kill the child. The family says he was a complete stranger and unknown to the family.

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Edmonton police confirm the man has been arrested and charged with assault with a weapon, uttering threats and hostage taking.

The 27-year-old man remains in custody and a bail hearing has not been set.

The CBSA also confirmed the incident and said no injuries were reported.

It also added that while it couldn’t go into specifics because of privacy concerns, that officers are trained properly to deal with such situations.

“When an incident occurs at a CBSA location, our officers are trained to secure the location and ensure the security and safety of those on site, particularly those directly impacted. The CBSA would also ensure that any physical and psychological aspects are addressed and supports offered.

We continue to review the details of the situation and will fully support the Edmonton Police Service in their investigation.”

The family says it’s frustrated that the father was not made aware of the incident while he was in his hearing.

A rally is being held on Tuesday night to highlight the struggle of deportations for Namibian families in the Edmonton area.