20-Year-Old Indian-Origin Man Shot Dead In Canada, 2nd Case After Student Fatally Stabbed – News18

Last Updated:December 08, 2024, 23:58 IST

The victim was reportedly identified Harshandeep Singh, a Sikh security guard. The incident took place on December 6, the second such case this week as a 22-year-old Indian student was fatally stabbed in Ontario

A 20-year-old Indian-origin man was shot dead in Canada’s Edmonton in what the police said was a gang incident. Two persons were arrested and charged with first-degree murder, they added.

The victim was reportedly identified Harshandeep Singh, a Sikh security guard. The incident took place on December 6, the second such case in the week after a 22-year-old Indian student was stabbed to death by his housemate in Ontario province.

The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) said they arrested Evan Rain and Judith Saulteaux, both aged 30, and charged them with first-degree murder.

Indian Consulate In Vancouver Responds

Commenting on Singh’s death, India’s Consulate in Vancouver expressed deep sorrow. In a post on X, the consulate stated, “We r deeply saddened by the tragic death of Indian national Shri Harshandeep Singh who was shot dead in Edmonton on 6 Dec. 2 arrested & charged with first-degree murder.”

“We will remain in close contact with authorities & provide required assistance to the bereaved family,” the Consulate added.

The shooting was captured on CCTV cameras and took place around midnight. A purported video of the incident on social media shows a person pushing the security guard down the stairs as another person shoots him from behind.

Watch the video here:

According to the police, their homicide section is investigating the death. They said Downtown Branch patrol officers responded to a report of a gunshot inside an apartment building and, upon arrival, located an unresponsive 20-year-old male security guard in a stairwell and immediately conducted first aid.

Police said the emergency services responded, treated and transported him to hospital where he was declared dead. They said an autopsy is scheduled for Monday (December 9).

They further said a weapon has been recovered. “The EPS doesn’t typically release the name of a deceased individual unless the death has been confirmed to be a homicide,” EPS Homicide Staff Sergeant Rob Bilawey said in a press release, as per a report published by NDTV. “However, in this instance, we are releasing his name for an investigative purpose and in an effort to alleviate public safety concerns in relation to Mr Singh’s unfortunate death.”

In the other murder case, the 22-year-old Indian student was stabbed to death during an altercation. The victim’s housemate was charged with second-degree murder, police said.

The victim was identified as Gurasis Singh, a first-year business management student at Lambton College. The police in Sarnia received an emergency call for a report of a stabbing at 194 Queen Street, where Gurasis and the 36-year-old accused, Crossley Hunter, were residents of a rooming house.

They located the body and took Hunter into custody. In a later statement, police said the victim and Hunter were involved in a physical altercation while in the kitchen, where the latter accessed a knife and stabbed him multiple times, killing him.

Police said they did not believe the crime to be racially motivated “at this time”. Sarnia Police Chief Derek Davis said despite the arrest, the “complex investigation” is ongoing.

“The Sarnia Police Criminal Investigations Division continues to gather all available evidence to determine the circumstances surrounding this criminal act and what, if any, motive may have existed that led to the murder of this young man,” the statement quoted him.

(With PTI inputs)