Canada gurdwara knife attack: Man stabs two a day after release from prison
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Canada gurdwara knife attack: Man stabs two a day after release from prison")
Nanaksar Gurdwara in Edmonton, Alberta Photograph: (Wikimedia Commons)
Two people were injured in a stabbing at a gurdwara in Edmonton, Canada. Police detained a 27-year-old suspect, while PM Mark Carney condemned the attack as “appalling” and urged safety at places of worship.
Two people were injured after a man allegedly attacked them with a knife at a gurdwara in Edmonton, Canada, on Friday morning. Police arrested a 27-year-old suspect, who was taken into custody after witnesses intervened. The incident took place at Nanaksar Gurdwara at around 5 am local time, when the man entered the premises and attempted to reach the prayer area, Edmonton police said.
According to police, two male patrons stopped him from entering the prayer area. The man then allegedly stabbed both of them. The victims, aged 75 and 51, suffered minor injuries and are in stable condition.
“Quick acting witnesses” restrained the accused before officers arrived at the gurdwara, police said.
The suspect had been released from a federal institution on August 20, just a day before the attack. Acting Inspector Eric Stewart said he had been serving a sentence for aggravated assault and assaulting a peace officer.
Police said the man is known to them and has a significant history of violent offences dating back to 2015. He was initially spotted walking in traffic on a highway at around 4:49 am, roughly 15 minutes before police received reports of the stabbing. Investigators are now probing the motive behind the attack.
Carney condemns attack
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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the incident as “appalling” and expressed solidarity with the injured victims and the Sikh community.
“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,” he wrote on X. Carney added that no one should feel unsafe at a place of worship and thanked Edmonton police for their swift response.
Sikh community urges security measures
The attack comes a week after police said they were investigating threatening calls made to two Sikh gurdwaras in Calgary.
The World Sikh Organization urged gurdwaras across Canada to strengthen security measures. Its president, Danish Singh, said, “We are asking gurdwaras across Canada to review and strengthen their security procedures and to remain vigilant.”
Nanaksar Gurdwara was temporarily closed as police conducted their investigation.
