Canada: Two injured in stabbing at Edmonton gurdwara; suspect held

Two men were injured after a man armed with a screwdriver entered Nanaksar Gurdwara Gursikh Temple in Edmonton during morning prayers on Friday. A 27-year-old man was taken into custody after witnesses detained him at the gurdwara in the city’s northeast.

According to a report by CBC News, the incident took place at around 5 a.m. Police said the suspect attempted to enter the prayer room before stabbing two men, aged 75 and 51.

The victims were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect was also injured and taken to hospital.


Acting Inspector Eric Stewart of the Edmonton Police Service said the force’s Hate Crimes unit is investigating. Police have not disclosed a possible motive.

“Quick acting witnesses” intervened and detained the man before officers arrived, Stewart said.

Police said the suspect is known to them and has a significant history of violence. He was released from a federal institution on Thursday after serving a sentence for aggravated assault and assaulting a peace officer.

The suspect had failed to report to his designated Edmonton halfway house, police said. Investigators will examine how he came to be near the temple instead of the assigned housing facility.

Charges are pending, and police have not released the suspect’s name.

Temple priest and volunteer injured

Zora Grewal, vice-president of the Nanaksar Gurdwara Gursikh Temple, told CBC News that the victims were a temple priest and a longtime volunteer.

Grewal said the suspect stabbed the priest repeatedly with a screwdriver before attacking the elderly volunteer. Temple officials said no Sikh scriptures were damaged in the incident.

The temple was temporarily closed to the public on Friday morning as police continued their investigation. Officials are expected to meet over the weekend to discuss possible additional security measures.

“We love everybody. We don't hate anybody,” said Grewal. “This temple is only for prayer. People come here for peace of mind.

“We just pray to God this won’t happen again. So hopefully everybody is safe here.”

Sikh organisations urge vigilance

Danish Singh, president of the World Sikh Organization of Canada, said the attack came amid what he described as a rise in anti-Sikh hate across Canada.

“We are asking gurdwaras across Canada to review and strengthen their security procedures and to remain vigilant,” Singh said.

“At the same time, we will not allow fear to dictate how Sikhs live in Canada.”

The attack came days after two Sikh temples in Calgary received threatening phone calls. Calgary police said the calls came from the same number on August 15 and that there was no active threat to the community.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith condemned the violence and called for reforms to federal bail and parole laws.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their communities and places of worship, and we will continue to defend that right,” Smith said. “Today's attack once again affirms why the federal government must take bail and parole reform seriously.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney also condemned the attack in a post on X.

“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 swift response.”

Naheed Nenshi, leader of Alberta’s opposition, said the attack had shaken the community and called for a full investigation, including whether the incident amounted to a hate crime.