The Edmonton police arrested a 27-year-old man after he allegedly stabbed two men, including a priest, with a screwdriver at the Nanaksar Gurdwara early Friday morning.Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned the incident, calling the attack “appalling”. He expressed his thoughts for the injured and the wider community shaken by the incident.“No one should ever feel unsafe in their place of worship. I want to thank the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) for their swift response,” Carney said.Initial reports suggested that it was an attempt of sacrilege and a Sikh scripture may have been desecrated in the incident. However, temple officials maintained that no sacred texts were damaged during the attack.The EPS investigative response team has taken over the case and is working with the hate crimes unit to determine whether the attack was hate-motivated. Charges are pending against the suspect.According to details shared by EPS chief Warren Drieche, the incident could have been far worse. “We are thankful that this morning’s event did not result in more significant injuries or deaths but also recognise that the trauma experienced by the victims and their community cannot be understated. This level of violence has no place in our city, and we want to ensure the Sikh community and all Edmontonians that we are taking this incident and their safety seriously.”Authorities confirmed that the accused had been released from prison just one day earlier and has a history of violence dating back more than a decade. His name has not been released, as charges are still pending.At 4.49 am, the police received reports of a man walking in traffic on Highway 15 near Horsehill Road. Around 5 am, officers began receiving calls about stabbings at the gurdwara located near 14 Street and Horsehill Road.Zora Grewal, vice-president of the Nanaksar Gurdwara Gursikh Temple, said witnesses told him that several people were inside the building when the attack interrupted morning prayers.The police said the suspect entered the gurdwara and attempted to access the prayer area before being confronted by the staff. While the police described the victims as worshippers, Grewal said they were a temple priest (51) and a long-time volunteer (75). He said when the people inside the temple attempted to remove the armed man from the building, he lashed out and stabbed the priest repeatedly with a screwdriver before turning his weapon on the elderly volunteer.Witnesses intervened, restrained the suspect and held him until patrol officers arrived at 5.10 am to take him into custody.Emergency Medical Services treated and transported the victims with non-life-threatening injuries to hospital.The World Sikh Organisation of Canada (WSO) has condemned the attack.