Edmonton's Nanaksar Gurdwara Stabbing Shakes Sikh Community and Draws Interfaith Support
Early on a Friday morning in northeast Edmonton, a 27-year-old man entered the Nanaksar Gurdwara and stabbed two Sikh worshippers during morning prayers, sending shockwaves through the city's South Asian community. The attack, which also reportedly damaged the Sikh holy scripture Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, prompted the Edmonton Police Service's Hate Crimes unit to open an investigation. The incident came just days after two Sikh temples in Calgary had received threatening phone calls, heightening wider concerns about the safety of Sikh houses of worship across Alberta.
World Sikh Organization Calls for Heightened Gurdwara Security Across Canada
The World Sikh Organization of Canada was among the first to respond publicly after a violent incident at the Nanaksar Gurdwara in northeast Edmonton left two people injured on a Friday morning. The organization confirmed that an intruder had entered the temple and attacked two members of the congregation during their morning devotions. Particularly alarming was the report that Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji — the central holy scripture of the Sikh faith — was also attacked and damaged during the incident, a detail that deepened the sense of violation felt across the Sikh community. WSO president Danish Singh described the attack as deeply troubling and connected it to what he called a documented rise in anti-Sikh hate across Canada. Singh called on gurdwaras nationwide to review and strengthen their security procedures and to remain vigilant going forward, while also being firm that fear would not govern how Sikhs live in Canada. Edmonton police arrived at the scene shortly after 5 a.m. and took an adult male suspect into custody; paramedics treated both victims on site for non-life-threatening injuries. The gurdwara, a sprawling facility built nearly three decades ago, was closed to the public while the police investigation continued. The attack followed threats made against two Sikh temples in Calgary the previous week, when both received alarming phone calls from the same number on August 15. Calgary police confirmed they were investigating the calls and working closely with both temples, though they said they did not believe there was an active ongoing threat to the community. [4]
Hate Crimes Unit Investigates Screwdriver Attack During Morning Prayers
A detailed CBC News report provided the clearest account of the attack at the Nanaksar Gurdwara, which occurred around 5 a.m. when a 27-year-old man carrying a screwdriver entered the building during morning prayers. The suspect attempted to enter the prayer room before stabbing two men who were attending the early-morning service. Quick-acting witnesses inside the gurdwara intervened and managed to detain the suspect before police arrived on the scene. The two victims — aged 75 and 51 — were taken to hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Acting Inspector Eric Stewart of the Edmonton Police Service addressed reporters at a news conference held Friday afternoon and noted that officers had first received a report of a man walking in traffic shortly before they were called to the gurdwara. Stewart confirmed that the EPS Hate Crimes unit had been assigned to investigate the attack, though police did not comment publicly on a possible motive. He described how the 27-year-old entered the temple and attempted to reach the prayer room before the stabbings occurred and said that quick-acting witnesses had intervened to detain the man. The case drew national and international media attention and raised urgent questions about the safety of religious minorities worshipping in Canadian cities, as well as about the adequacy of existing protocols governing the release of individuals from custody who have histories of violent behaviour. [7]
Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton Stands With Nanaksar Congregation
Four days after the attack, Archbishop Stephen A. Hero of the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton wrote a formal letter to the congregation of the Nanaksar Gurdwara expressing grief, solidarity, and support. Dated August 25, 2026, the letter acknowledged that two prominent and venerable members of the Sikh community had been injured while attending their morning prayers. The Archbishop described the fact that such violence could occur in a house of worship during a time of prayer as most disturbing, and noted that it inflicts a particular form of harm on the temple and its congregants while striking fear in all people who seek solace in prayer. The letter conveyed the Archdiocese's love and concern for the two injured men, their families, and the entire gurdwara community as it contended with the repercussions of what Archbishop Hero called a senseless act of violence. He assured the congregation that the Archdiocese stands with them in prayer, love, friendship, and support. The letter was copied to the Sikh Federation of Alberta, signaling that the interfaith gesture was intended to reach the broader Sikh institutional network across the province. The outreach from the Catholic Archdiocese was widely received as a meaningful act of solidarity during a difficult moment for Edmonton's Sikh worshippers and for the city's broader interfaith relationships, demonstrating how communities of different faiths can stand together in the face of religiously motivated violence. [6]
Sources: [4] Radio-Canada · [7] CBC · [6] CAEDM