The suspect in a stabbing at an Edmonton gurdwara was released from a federal prison just hours before the attack. Two people were stabbed at Nanaksar Gurdwara Gursikh Temple on Friday, the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) says. Emergency crews responded to the temple at 14 Street and Horsehill Road at 5:08 a.m. A man was arrested at the scene, and two men were treated for non-life-threatening injuries according to police. At a news conference on Friday, EPS said before the stabbing they received reports of a man walking on Horsehill Road. The man walked into the prayer area of the gurdwara and was confronted by staff. During the confrontation, two worshippers at the gurdwara, a 51-year-old and a 75-year-old, were stabbed. The man was detained by members of the gurdwara and the man was arrested. Police say the man was carrying a screwdriver at the time of his arrest. The two victims and the suspect were taken to hospital. Charges are now pending against a 27-year-old man. The hate crimes unit has been engaged, and police are working to determine if the incident was hate motivated. Police say the suspect is known to them, and has a history of violent offences dating back to 2015. He was released from a federal prison on Thursday, where he had been serving a sentence for aggravated assault and assaulting a peace officer. Police did not say which institution he was released from, but said it was a federal penitentiary in Alberta. They also confirmed he failed to report to his designated halfway house in Edmonton. Police say he failed to report to his designated halfway house. Harman Kandola, the regional president of the World Sikh Organization, tells CTV News Edmonton the stabbing happened during morning prayers. “He made an attempt to go and interfere with those morning prayers, and when they tried to subdue him, he assaulted several members of the congregation, two of whom were hospitalized,” he said. Kandola says gurdwaras are open to anyone, so the man was able to walk inside without raising red flags. “Everybody’s welcome here, so you won’t see things like bars being put up or metal detectors coming in. None of that’s going to happen,” he said. “What we want to make sure is that once the police do the investigation, we’ll find out if this was an isolated incident.” Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi called the stabbings unsettling. “This comes as threats are being made toward cultural and religious centres in Calgary, and crime and public disorder have increased to the point where people no longer feel safe,” he wrote in a statement. “We have confidence that police will investigate fully, including determining if these are hate crimes. We are supporting the whole community right now, and our thoughts are for a quick recovery for those hurt and support for their loved ones.” Local MPs also condemned the attack. “My heart is with Edmonton’s Sikh community following the horrific attack at Nanaksar Gurdwara this morning. A place of worship should be a place of safety, community and peace. No one should have to fear violence simply for practising their faith,” Edmonton-Strathcona MP Heather McPherson wrote. “We must take the rise in anti-Sikh hate seriously. Hate has no place in Edmonton or anywhere in Canada. We need a full investigation, accountability for those responsible, and stronger action to protect communities and places of worship.” “I’m deeply disturbed at the outrageous violent attack this morning at the Edmonton Nanaksar Gurdwara desecrating Guru Granth Sahib Ji and stabbing 2 victims. My prayers are with everyone affected by this senseless act of violence,” Edmonton-Gateway MP Tim Uppal wrote. “The rise of anti-Sikh hate, from online hatred to violent attacks, cannot be ignored. This cannot be our community, our province, our country. There is no place for this violence and hate in our communities. We must all come together to support our Edmonton Sikh community at this time.” A Sikh place of worship in Calgary says it received threatening phone calls last weekend, leading Mayor Jeromy Farkas to condemn the threats. More to come...
