A high-ranking member of the B.C. Sikh community was shot and killed Sunday evening in a gurdwara parking lot. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds inside a vehicle at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara on 120th Street just before 8:30 p.m., RCMP said in a Monday press conference. Nijjar was the president of the gurdwara. While a motive has not yet been determined, Mounties said the shooting appears to be targeted.
“Last night’s homicide was a brazen act of violence outside a place of worship,” said Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards at a Monday press conference.
“Many community members were present following evening prayers at the gurdwara. This was a shocking and very public act of violence against a well-known community member and gurdwara president.”
So far, police have not arrested anyone or released any suspect descriptions. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) further declined to reveal whether threats have been made against Nijjar in the past.“It is a part of our active investigation,” said Sgt. Tim Pierotti of IHIT. “We understand there’s a lot of speculation as to the motive of this homicide but we are dedicated to learning the facts and letting the evidence lead our investigation.”
According to a post from the BCSikhs Instagram page, Nijjar was killed while exiting the Gurdwara’s parking lot by two gunmen. RCMP did not confirm Monday whether there are one or more suspects.
Video obtained by Global News appears to show the glass of a grey pickup truck smashed out.“I just live close by, and I was kind of curious, so I went inside, and I heard people talking about the body still being there,” witness Jas Minhas said in an interview.“I heard them offering prayers, which you typically do if somebody passed away.” Hundreds of mourners gathered overnight outside the gurdwara to pray, offer community support, and at times, protest. Others knelt by the gurdwara on Monday afternoon, praying before yellow flags.
Source: globalnews.ca/news
Sunday, April 19, 2026
