Reports says Edmonton suspect was ordered deported from U.S.

Canadian media outlets, including the CBC, Canadian Press and the Globe and Mail, are reporting that the man accused to carrying out an attack in Edmonton last weekend was ordered deported from the United States in 2011.

Abdulahi Hasan Sharif, a Somali refugee claimant, is accused of driving a van into four pedestrians and stabbing an Edmonton police officer.

He is currently in police custody and is charged with a number of crimes, including five counts of attempted murder.

He is next due in court on Nov. 14.

According to the media reports, U.S. Customs and Border Protection took Sharif into custody in July, 2011.

Two months later, an immigration judge ordered him deported to Somalia.

He was later released but failed to report to authorities and, according to Canadian Public Services Minister Ralph Goodale, crossed into Canada in 2012 when he was granted refugee status.

Canadian officials say Sharif had been under scrutiny in 2015 for allegedly espousing radial views but had never been arrested because of insufficient evidence.

On Saturday night, a man drove a car into an Edmonton police constable directing traffic near a Canadian Football League game, knocking the officer several metres into the air.

The driver then left the car and stabbed the officer several times.

The policeman fought off his attacker who then fled on foot, leaving the damaged car behind.

The officer was not seriously injured and after treatment was released from hospital.

Several hours later a small rental truck was stopped at a roadblock in the city following a high-speed chase in which four pedestrians were injured.

When officers checked the driver’s name they recognized him as the owner of the car which had struck the traffic officer.

A police vehicle managed to flip the rental truck onto its side in order to stop a high-speed chase through the city during which the driver struck four people.

With files from CBC, Canadian Press, Globe and Mail, RCI