Morning prayers at Canada’s Nanaksar Gurdwara turned tragic after an armed individual attacked two men on Friday. The incident took place in Edmonton following which local police service arrested the 27-year-old suspect. The authorities were first intimated about the incident at 4:49 AM about a male walking in traffic on Highway 15 near Horsehill Road. Few minutes later at 5:05 AM, Edmonton Police Service (EPS) received reports of an active stabbing inside the temple located near 14 Street and Horsehill Road.
The accused has a history of and had recently been released from a federal facility where he served a sentence for aggravated assault and assaulting a peace officer. According to official police reports, the suspect charged at the two male patrons after they confronted him for attempting to access the prayer area of the Gurdwara.
The suspect was caught by witnesses on-site and handed over to Northeast Branch patrol officers upon their arrival at 5:10 AM. The victims were identified as a 75-year-old male and a 51-year-old male who received first aid from Emergency Medical Services (EMS) before being transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The EPS Investigative Response Team (IRT) took charge of the investigation and is working in close coordination with the EPS Hate Crimes Unit to ascertain whether the attack was hate-motivated.
EPS Chief Warren Driechel said, “We are thankful that this morning’s event did not result in more significant injuries or deaths but also recognise that the trauma experienced by the victims and their community cannot be understated.”
Emphasizing the department’s commitment to community safety, he added, “This level of violence has no place in our city, and we want to ensure the Sikh community and all Edmontonians that we are taking this incident and their safety, seriously.”
Canadian PM Mark Carney condemns attack
Condemning the attack, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in a post on X said, “The attack at the Nanaksar Gurdwara in Edmonton this morning is appalling. My thoughts are with the two people who were injured and the wider community that is shaken by this terrible event. No one should ever feel unsafe in their place of worship. I want to thank the Edmonton Police Service for their .”
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also condemned the attack and extended wishes to the injured for a rapid recovery. In the wake of recent acts of violence in the last few days, she wrote on X, “Everyone deserves to and places of worship, and we will continue to defend that right. We stand with the entire Sikh community across our province against recent acts of despicable violence over the last few days.”
(With inputs from ANI)
