The Nanaksar Gurdwara Gursikh Temple in northeast Edmonton on Aug. 21.Daniela Germano/The Canadian Press
A man faces multiple offences in a stabbing last month at a Sikh temple in Alberta’s capital, but police said Thursday there’s so far no evidence that the attack was motivated by hate.
Staff Sgt. Eric Stewart of the Edmonton police announced that 27-year-old Austin Sim-Pelletier was charged Friday with assault causing bodily harm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and mischief.
“We are still collecting evidence, and we’re still working through it,” Stewart said at a news conference. “But currently, at this time, there wasn’t the evidence to support those (hate crime) charges.”
Sim-Pelletier was arrested Aug. 21, after two worshippers at the Nanaksar Gurdwara Gursikh Temple in northeast Edmonton were stabbed by an intruder with a screwdriver.
Two people injured after stabbing at Edmonton Sikh temple, police say
The victims, who are 75 and 51, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and are still recovering, Stewart said.
A day before the attack, Sim-Pelletier was released from prison for aggravated assault and assault on a peace officer, said police.
Stewart said Sim-Pelletier was supposed to meet with his parole officer, but that didn’t happen and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Police are still investigating how he got to the gurdwara from where he was dropped off by corrections officers in Edmonton, said Stewart.
“Some of the reasons of how he got there, why he went in, his actions inside, are still part of the ongoing part of our investigation,” Stewart said.
“Right now, there’s nothing to say that he has been up there before.”
Edmonton police have laid charges after two worshippers were stabbed last month with a screwdriver at a Sikh temple.
The Canadian Press
Asked about the delay between the arrest and charges being announced, Stewart said there was less urgency because Sim-Pelletier was quickly returned to prison and there wasn’t a further threat to the public.
“We first want to work with the community and want to work with our victims to ensure that we are providing them the support they need,” Stewart said.
“We also wanted to make sure that we conducted a thorough investigation to get to where we are today.”
On the day of the stabbing, the World Sikh Organization of Canada said there were reports that the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, a sacred scripture, was also attacked.
Stewart said there was no damage to the scripture.