Arrest made after two worshippers stabbed with screwdriver at Edmonton Sikh temple

Police in Edmonton say charges are pending against a man who, a day after leaving prison, entered a Sikh temple early Friday morning and stabbed two worshippers with a screwdriver.

Edmonton police were called around 5 a.m. Friday morning about a reported stabbing at the Nanaksar Sikh Temple near Manning Drive and 18 Street NW.

Upon arrival, officers took an adult male suspect into custody. Officials say two other men were treated on scene for non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspect allegedly used a screwdriver to attack the victims.

He says one victim was stabbed twice and that both are recovering. Police say the two men are aged 75 and 51. The accused is 27, and police did not release his name as charges have yet to be laid.

In an update on Friday afternoon, police say the suspect was released from a federal prison on Thursday and did not report to a halfway house. He was allegedly acting strange in the middle of a highway shortly before entering the temple.

Zora Grewal, the temple’s vice-president, said witnesses told him the suspect, for unknown reasons, entered the temple and when those inside tried to escort him out, he lashed out with the screwdriver. Others then wrestled him to the ground and police were called.

Police have not confirmed whether or not any scripture was damaged, and are still investigating the motive.

The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) put out a statement condemning the attack and alleging the suspect also destroyed Sikh scripture in the temple in addition to stabbing two people.

The gurdwara is closed to the public as the investigation continued.

The incident comes amid several recent incidents involving Alberta’s Sikh community, including threatening calls to two Calgary gurdwaras and the reported assault of a Sikh truck driver at an Edmonton Walmart earlier this month.

WSO President Danish Singh said the organization has been warning that anti-Sikh hate is rising in Canada.

“We are deeply troubled by what has happened at Nanaksar Gurdwara this morning, but unfortunately we cannot say that we are surprised.”

WSO is calling on Edmonton police to investigate whether hate or bias played a role in the incident and is urging governments to strengthen security measures at places of worship.

—With files from The Canadian Press