TORONTO, Aug 22: Two men, including a gurdwara priest, were injured after a 27 year old man allegedly attacked them with a screwdriver inside a Sikh place of worship in Edmonton, prompting police to investigate whether the incident was hate-motivated.
The attack occurred at Nanaksar Sikh Gurdwara in northeast Edmonton at around 5 am on Friday, according to the Edmonton Police Service (EPS). Police said the suspect entered the premises and attempted to reach the prayer area before being confronted by temple staff.
The confrontation escalated, leaving a 75 year old man and a 51-year-old man with stab wounds.
Witnesses intervened and restrained the suspect until officers arrived and took him into custody. The injured men were transported to hospital with injuries that were not considered life threatening. The suspect also sustained injuries and was taken to hospital.
Gurdwara vice-president Zora Grewal identified the victims as a priest and a longtime volunteer. He said the attacker allegedly struck the priest several times with a screwdriver before turning on the elderly volunteer.
Grewal added that no Sikh religious scripture was damaged during the incident.
Police investigate possible hate crime
The EPS Investigative Response Team has assumed responsibility for the case and is working alongside the Hate Crimes Unit to determine whether the attack was motivated by hatred.
Police said the suspect was known to authorities and had a history of violent incidents dating back to 2015. He had reportedly been released from a federal prison in Alberta one day before the attack but failed to report to his assigned halfway house in Edmonton.
Investigators said the man had also been seen walking in traffic on Highway 15 shortly before the gurdwara incident.
Charges against the suspect are pending.
EPS Chief Warren Driechel said the incident could have resulted in much more serious consequences but stressed the impact of the violence on the victims and the wider Sikh community.
He said such violence has no place in Edmonton and assured residents that police were taking the safety of the city’s Sikh community seriously.
Leaders condemn attack
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned the incident and expressed support for those affected.
Carney said people should never feel unsafe while attending a place of worship and praised Edmonton police for their rapid response.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also denounced the violence and said the incident reinforced the need for Ottawa to address federal bail and parole policies.
Naheed Nenshi, leader of Alberta’s official opposition, described the attack as deeply disturbing and said violence at places of worship was particularly alarming because of the fear it creates within religious communities.
Sikh organisations call for vigilance
World Sikh Organisation of Canada president Danish Singh urged gurdwaras across the country to review their security arrangements and remain alert following the attack.
The incident occurred only days after two Sikh temples in Calgary received threatening telephone calls. Calgary police said both places of worship, located in the city’s northeast, received calls from the same number on August 15.
Authorities said they were coordinating with the affected temples as investigations continued. However, police said there was no indication of an immediate threat to the wider public.
The Edmonton attack has nevertheless renewed concerns about security at Sikh places of worship in Alberta, with community representatives calling for vigilance while investigators work to establish the motive behind the violence.