On Friday morning, a 27‑year‑old man was arrested after stabbing two worshippers inside the sprawling Nanaksar Gurdwara in Edmonton.
The attack unfolded around 05:00 local time, according to Edmonton Police Service. The suspect, who had been released from a federal prison in Alberta the day before, failed to report to his designated halfway house.
Police said the victims were a 75‑year‑old and a 51‑year‑old man who were not seriously injured and are now stable.
Authorities are investigating whether the incident was motivated by hateful ideology, while the World Sikh Organization condemned the attack and noted that the Sikh scripture inside the temple was desecrated.
Chief Warren Driechel urged the public to watch for potential hate crimes and emphasized the need to confront rising geopolitical tensions locally. Calgary's mayor Jeromy Farkas also condemned threats previously directed at Sikh gurdwaras.
The temple has been closed to the public as the investigation continues.
