Sikh Man Killed In Brazen Highway Shooting Near Edmonton
"'The two white men waved at us, and we waved back,' he said, adding that moments later the truck moved behind them and 'opened fire' before fleeing the scene."
Jaskaran Sandhu
March 18, 2026 | 3.5 min. read | Original Reporting
A 22-year-old Sikh man has been killed in a brazen daytime shooting on Highway 2 near Leduc on March 14, in what witnesses describe as a sudden and unprovoked attack.
Alberta RCMP officers responded to reports of a shooting at approximately 2:50 p.m. near Township Road 490 along the QEII Highway.
Police say a white or grey pickup truck approached a black Honda Civic before gunfire was discharged at the vehicle. The truck then fled the scene at high speed, while the Civic pulled over.
The driver died as a result of his injuries.
While the RCMP have not publicly released the victim’s name, Baaz has learned that the victim is Birinder Singh, a Sikh man who had recently moved to Edmonton.
According to information shared with Baaz, Singh had arrived in Edmonton in October after studying at Conestoga College and was working in construction. He had received his work permit just days before the incident and had celebrated his 22nd birthday on March 12.
He is described by those who knew him as the only son in his family.
A survivor of the shooting, Gurbhej Singh, who was in the vehicle at the time, told Baaz the attack unfolded within moments and without any provocation.
According to Gurbhej Singh, the group was travelling on Highway 2 between approximately 2:40 p.m. and 3:10 p.m. when a pickup truck carrying two white males, believed to be around 24 to 25 years old, approached their vehicle.
“The two white men waved at us, and we waved back,” he said, adding that moments later the truck moved behind them and “opened fire” before fleeing the scene.
Gurbhej Singh emphasized that there was no interaction or incident that could have triggered the attack.
“There was nothing — no road rage, nothing at all,” he said, adding that they were simply minding their own business and thought nothing of the initial interaction.
He further stated that any suggestion that the shooting was instigated or provoked is false.
The surviving occupants have also expressed frustration with what they describe as limited information being publicly released to assist in identifying those responsible.
According to Gurbhej Singh, the vehicle contained a dash camera that captured both interior and exterior footage of the incident.
Despite this, no additional identifying details about the suspect vehicle or occupants beyond a general description of a white or grey pickup truck have been publicly released.
Witnesses say they are also concerned that no detailed description of the two suspects has been shared, which they believe could help advance the investigation.
In response to questions from Baaz, the RCMP confirmed only that the victim was “a 22-year-old male resident of Edmonton” and declined to confirm his identity.
Police also stated they are unable to share further details about the suspects at this time.
“I need to be aware that any information I share publicly with regards to suspects would be informing potential suspects the same information and could be detrimental to the success of our investigation,” said Cpl. Troy Savinkoff in an email to Baaz.
At this time, RCMP say they have not determined a motive and have not confirmed whether the shooting was targeted.
The World Sikh Organization of Canada says the incident comes amid growing concern about rising anti Sikh sentiment across the country.
In a statement to Baaz News, spokesperson and legal counsel Balpreet Singh said there has been a noticeable increase in anti Sikh hate in Canada, driven by multiple online and ideological forces.
“We are seeing a troubling rise in anti Sikh hate, fueled in part by white nationalist groups pushing anti-immigrant rhetoric, as well as Hindu Nationalist networks amplifying disinformation targeting the Sikh diaspora,” he said.
Singh added that one of the community’s growing concerns has been the potential for this rhetoric to translate into real-world violence.
“One of the greatest fears with this rise in anti Sikh hate is that it could lead to unprovoked acts of violence against members of our community,” he said. “Incidents like this are deeply alarming and must be taken seriously.”
The Alberta RCMP Major Crimes Unit continues to investigate and is asking anyone who was travelling on the QEII Highway near Leduc between approximately 2:40 p.m. and 3:10 p.m. on March 14 and who may have dashcam footage to come forward.
Jaskaran Sandhu is the co-founder of Baaz. He is a lawyer and previously served as Executive Director for the World Sikh Organization of Canada and as a Senior Advisor to Brampton’s Office of the Mayor. You can find Jaskaran on Twitter at @JaskaranSandhu_
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