2 injured in stabbing at Canada’s Edmonton gurdwara; man arrested

Two men were injured after a 27-year-old armed man stabbed them inside a gurdwara in Edmonton, Canada, during morning prayers on Friday, 21 August, with police investigating whether the attack was hate-motivated.

The incident took place at Nanaksar Sikh Gurdwara in northeast Edmonton at around 5.00 am local time.

According to Edmonton Police Service (EPS), the suspect entered the gurdwara and attempted to gain access to the prayer area before being confronted by staff. The confrontation escalated, and two men, aged 75 and 51, were stabbed, police said in a statement.

Acting inspector Eric Stewart of the EPS said during a news conference that the force's hate crimes unit was investigating the incident. Stewart said police had received a report of a man walking in traffic shortly before officers were called to the gurdwara following reports of the stabbing.

"Quick acting witnesses" intervened and detained the suspect before police arrived, Stewart said. The injured men were subsequently taken to hospital.

Zora Grewal, vice-president of the Nanaksar Gurdwara Gursikh Temple, told CBC News that several people were inside the building when the attack disrupted morning prayers. While police described the victims as worshippers, Grewal said they were a temple priest and a longtime volunteer.

According to Grewal, people inside the gurdwara tried to remove the armed man from the building when he lashed out, repeatedly stabbing the priest with a screwdriver before attacking the elderly volunteer. The two men were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, CBC News reported. The suspect was also injured and taken to hospital.

Police are investigating the circumstances of the attack, including whether it was motivated by hate.

With AP/PTI inputs