Police have issued an arrest warrant for Claude Legare for attempted murder, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, attempted kidnapping and three counts of breach of recognizance. (Handout)

KEMPTVILLE, Ont. - As Brenda Van Leyen continued to fight for her life in a hospital yesterday, police launched a massive manhunt to track down the man they believe stabbed her a dozen times.

Less than 24 hours after the 47-year-old employee of Canada Post was attacked outside a Barrhaven Shopper Drug Mart on Friday afternoon, police sent out a photo and a description of Claude Legare, a local mechanic identified by family members as Van Leyen’s former boyfriend.

Van Leyen is a mother who lives in Kemptville and has been employed with Canada Post as a rural delivery person in communities south of the city.

Family members said Van Leyen and Legare recently ended a lengthy relationship.

The drugstore, located on Strandherd Dr. just east of Jockvale Rd. in the city’s south end, was closed for several hours after the incident as police carried out their investigation into the attack which also left a 21-year-old store employee wounded.

The young man tried to intervene in the attack and was stabbed in the chest. He was later released from hospital after being treated for minor injuries.

Yesterday, one of Van Leyen’s relatives said he didn’t know much about Legare.

“I met him and I didn’t think anything bad about him,” said Peter Van Leyen, the woman’s uncle. “But I didn’t get to know him.”

Van Leyen said he only met Legare once, but called Friday’s incident “disastrous.”

Police issued a press release yesterday saying they were seeking Legare on charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, attempted kidnapping and three counts of breach of probation.

Legare is described as white, 5-foot-7, 205 lbs., with a beard. He was wearing a black or dark blue hooded sweatshirt, dark baseball cap, light grey track pants, and dark winter shoes.

Cruiser collision

Members of the province’s Special Investigations Unit are also involved in the case. As police were approaching the drug store, a cruiser collided with a pedestrian who is believed to have been attempting to direct officers to the scene of the stabbing.

A 43-year-old man was taken to hospital with serious head and leg injuries.

Anyone who witnessed or has any information about the incident is being asked to contact the SIU at 416-622-0748 or 1-800-787-8529, or Ottawa police at 613-236-1222 Ext. 5493 or Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477.