President of Surrey, B.C., gurdwara shot dead in parking lot
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, was killed shortly after evening prayers at the Guru Nanak temple ended, say police
The president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, B.C., was shot dead inside a car Sunday night in the temple's busy parking lot in what police are calling a targeted killing.
Investigators say Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed just before 8:30 p.m. PT, soon after evening prayers had finished. Nijjar was a prominent leader in the Sikh community and is being mourned widely on social media.
Assistant RCMP Commissioner Brian Edwards called the homicide brazen and shocking.
"I am absolutely appalled this would take place in a house of worship," he said. "It's disgusting."
Members of the Integrated Homicide Investigations Unit (IHIT) are looking at whether a car found on fire in Coquitlam shortly afterwards is connected to the killing and are appealing for witnesses and people with dashcam footage from the area to come forward.
The temple was the scene of a heavy police presence in the hours after the shooting, with more than 100 people gathered near the temple, where police had blocked off both entrances.
'Immeasurable physical loss'
Bhupinder Singh Hothi, general secretary of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Society, told the media that Nijjar, 45, was married, had two sons and also leaves behind his parents.
"It's touched everyone," he said. "They're going through hard times right now. He was very important. He was the community leader."
Worshippers, including families and children, were at the temple when the shooting occurred, said Hothi.
In a post on Facebook, the organization B.C. Sikhs said the Sikh community "has suffered an immeasurable physical loss."
The vice-president of the gurdwara, Amandeep Singh Johal, told CBC News that Nijjar was an activist with the Sikh independence group Sikhs for Justice.
Hothi said Nijjar had received threats because of his support for a separate Sikh state in India called Khalistan. He added that the shooting would not deter those who share his beliefs.
In 2016, CBC News reported that the government of India was seeking Nijjar's extradition from Canada on charges related to extremism.
WATCH | The CBC explains terrorism allegations involving Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2016:
A Canadian Press article at the time, based on reporting from the Times of India, alleged Indian intelligence agencies alerted the Canadian government that pro-Khalistan extremists near Mission, B.C., including Nijjar, planned to carry out attacks in Punjab.
Nijjar maintained his innocence at the time and denied all allegations.
Punjab is India's only Sikh-majority state, with around 30 million people residing in the region.
Many Sikhs have long advocated for the establishment of Khalistan, saying Sikhs face discrimination and oppression in Hindu-majority India. Indian authorities deny those allegations.
On Monday, the World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO), which promotes the interests of Canadian Sikhs, said Nijjar often led protests against the violation of human rights in India and in support of Khalistan.
It's calling on the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) to investigate the death, which it says follows the deaths of other prominent Khalistan activists in the U.K. and Pakistan.
"The assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar is gravely alarming for Sikhs in Canada," said WSO president Tejinder Singh Sidhu in a release.
The WSO said CSIS and law enforcement in Canada failed to adequately protect Nijjar, who, it says, was a target of Indian intelligence.
"The role of foreign interference from India must be thoroughly investigated, and those responsible for this crime must be brought to justice," said the WSO release.
CBC News has contacted CSIS and the Consulate General of India for comment on Nijjar's death.
Edwards said he was aware of the many rumours online about who might be behind the killing.
"We will determine the motive through evidence gathering, not speculation," he said.
'Thoughts to the broader community'
In Ottawa on Monday, federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said he was aware of the killing when asked about it on his way into the House of Commons.
'Well, in the first case, obviously very concerned about the reports this morning and would extend thoughts to the broader community," he said.
CBC News specifically asked Mendicino if Nijjar was in danger in Canada and in contact with CSIS.
"With regards to any national security concerns, naturally, those are issues that we take very sensitively but rest assured that we'll always be upfront and transparent with Canadians as we can," he said.
As news of the killing spread Sunday night and people gathered at the gurdwara, some in the crowd began chanting phrases including "long live Khalistan,'' "we want a separate Khalistan,'' and "death to India,'' as RCMP officers looked on.
B.C. Premier David Eby said he's confident police will thoroughly investigate, and it's a priority for the province to bring those responsible to justice.
"I'm profoundly disturbed that someone was murdered in our community on the grounds of a place of worship in front of many witnesses," he said about the killing.
The region's Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) is now working with the Surrey RCMP on the killing and is speaking to witnesses and seeking any video or other evidence. It will hold a news conference this afternoon in Surrey to provide further information about the case.
"At this early stage of the investigation, any possible motives for the shooting are not yet known," Surrey RCMP said in its statement. "Police are still working to determine possible suspect descriptions from multiple witnesses who were in the area."
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With files from David Ball, Sohrab Sandhu, Yvette Brend, Chris Rands and Canadian Press