Two people were injured in a stabbing attack at a gurdwara in Edmonton, Canada. The accused has been arrested but is yet to be identified.
The knife attack took place at Nanaksar Gurdwara around 5 am local time (12:00 BST) on Friday morning when a man entered the premises and tried to access the prayer area, BBC reported, citing police. The man was detained as "quick acting witnesses" intervened and constrained him before police arrived.
On being prevented from entering the prayer area by two male patrons of the Gurdwara, the man stabbed them. The victims are aged 75 and 51, respectively, and suffered minor injuries but are in stable condition.
The motive behind the attack is being investigated.
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What is known about the suspect
The 27-year-old accused was released from a federal institution on August 20, where he was serving a sentence for an aggravated assault and assaulting a peace officer, Acting Inspector Eric Stewart of Edmonton Police Service said in a press briefing.
{{/usCountry}}The 27-year-old accused was released from a federal institution on August 20, where he was serving a sentence for an aggravated assault and assaulting a peace officer, Acting Inspector Eric Stewart of Edmonton Police Service said in a press briefing.
{{/usCountry}}The police further said the man is known to police and has a significant history of violent offences dating back to 2015.
He was first seen walking in traffic on a highway around 4.49 local time. The police received calls about the attack 15 minutes later.
Mark Carney expresses shock
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed shock as he reacted to the knife attack in the Gurdwara premises. "The attack at the Nanaksar Gurdwara in Edmonton this morning is appalling. My thoughts are with the two people who were injured and the wider community that is shaken by this terrible event," he wrote in a post on X.
Carney further said no person should feel unsafe in their place of worship. "I want to thank the Edmonton Police Service for their swift response," he said.
The attack comes a week after police confirmed that they were looking into threat calls made to two Sikh gurdwaras in Calgary, which is located two hours south of Nanaksar Gurdwara.
Sikh body calls for security review
The World Sikh Organization, based in Canada, expressed concerns over the attack and said it was deeply troubling. In a statement, quoted by CBC, the group's president, Danish Singh said, "We are asking gurdwaras across Canada to review and strengthen their security procedures and to remain vigilant."
Singh went on to say that they will "not allow fear to dictate how Sikhs live in Canada".
The 30-year-old gurdwara was temporarily shut on Friday morning as police carried out its investigation.