Bagpiper Stabbed on Ottawa Street, Suspect Arrested After Unprovoked Attack

While busking in downtown Ottawa, Kevin Murison was approached by a man requesting a photo, who then produced a knife and slashed his left thumb and the bag of his bagpipes, leaving a 15-centimetre gash. Passersby summoned emergency services; police bandaged Murison and, helped by a witness who captured the vehicle’s licence plate, apprehended a 25-year-old suspect now facing assault with a weapon and two counts of breaching probation.

Ottawa police described the incident as unprovoked. Murison, a longtime piper who also performs with the Ottawa Caledonian Pipes and Drums, received a new bag from his group and expressed gratitude for the community’s support, insisting he will return to the streets once his finger recovers.