A man has been arrested after injuring two people in an early morning stabbing attack at a Sikh temple in Edmonton, Canada, police said.
Officials said the attack inside the sprawling Nanaksar Gurdwara unfolded around 05:00 local time (12:00 BST) on Friday morning. Police did not identify the suspect, nor did they specify a motive.
The attack comes after police confirmed last week that they were investigating threatening calls made to two Sikh gurdwaras in Calgary, two hours south of where Friday’s attack took place.
The World Sikh Organization, based in Canada, has said the attack is deeply troubling and has occurred against the backdrop of rising anti-Sikh hate across the country.
Police first received reports around 04:49 local time of a man walking in traffic on a highway, and about 15 minutes later, they got calls about a stabbing inside the temple, the Edmonton Police Service said.
The reports said a man had entered the Gurdwara and tried accessing the prayer area when he was confronted by staff, police said.
“This confrontation then escalated, and two male patrons of the Gurdwara were stabbed. Thankfully, quick-acting witnesses intervened and detained the man,” Acting Inspector Eric Stewart said at a press conference Friday.
The two victims, a 75-year-old man and 51-year-old man, were not seriously injured and are in stable condition, police said. Police described them as “worshippers” and did not provide further details.
The suspect, a 27-year-old man who was known to police, has an extensive history of violent attacks dating back to 2015, police said. He had been released from a federal prison in Alberta the day before the attack, and failed to report to his designated halfway house in Edmonton, officials said.
Charges are still pending against the suspect, and police are investigating if the attack was motivated by hateful ideology.
Edmonton police chief Warren Driechel urged the public to be patient as officials determined the suspect’s motivations, but acknowledged growing concerns about hate crimes.
“I see the heightened geopolitical tensions and increasing polarisation around the world showing up locally,” he said. “These realities can’t be ignored, and we need to call them out when they happen. We cannot remain silent.”
The World Sikh Organization said a copy of the Sikh scripture inside the temple was also desecrated in the attack. Police said they are aware of that report and are looking into it.
“Police are currently on scene and the Gurdwara has been closed to the public while the investigation continues,” the Sikh organisation said in its statement.
Calgary’s mayor Jeromy Farkas condemned the previous threats made in his own city in a social media post, calling them “utterly disgusting”.
“Gurdwaras are places of hospitality, generosity and service. Everyone is welcome,” Farkas said.
