RCMP investigators have ruled out racial hatred, road rage, robbery, and gang initiation as possible motives in the fatal shooting of a young Sikh man on Alberta's busiest highway, saying only that the victims appear to have been chosen at random.
Birinder Singh, 22, was shot and killed on March 14 while driving south on the Queen Elizabeth II Highway toward Calgary with two friends. He had been heading out to see the Rocky Mountains for the first time — a trip timed to celebrate his upcoming birthday.
RCMP Major Crimes Staff Sergeant John Brown addressed reporters Wednesday at RCMP Headquarters in Edmonton, offering some of the most definitive statements to date about what did not cause the killing — while stopping short of revealing what investigators believe actually did.
"I can tell you with certainty, our investigation has shown this is absolutely not racially motivated. We investigated that portion of the file very thoroughly, and we came to the conclusion that it absolutely had nothing to do with that." — Staff Sgt. John Brown, RCMP Major Crimes
A Birthday Trip That Ended in Tragedy
According to police, Singh and his two friends left Edmonton shortly after 2 p.m., travelling south on the QEII. All three men in the vehicle were wearing turbans. Just before 3 p.m., witnesses observed a dirty pickup truck pull alongside Singh's Honda Civic. People inside the truck reportedly made what appeared to be peace signs with their fingers. Those in Singh's vehicle responded in kind.
Moments later, Singh was shot through the window. His friends managed to steer the vehicle safely to the shoulder of the road, but Singh died at the scene.
Singh had recently completed college in Ontario before relocating to Edmonton. Jaskaran Sandhu, president of the Alberta chapter of the World Sikh Organization, described Singh as an innocent young man on his way to experience the mountains for the very first time.
Suspects in Custody, Mistaken Identity Being Investigated
Two men have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with Singh's death. Jimmy Gassner, 18, and Deon Libsekal, 23, are both in custody. Libsekal, who was driving the pickup truck, faces an additional charge of accessory to murder. Staff Sgt. Brown confirmed both accused have prior criminal records, while Singh and his companions had none.
"I can say that our victims were true victims that had no criminal history. But our suspects had a criminal history." — Staff Sgt. Brown
When pressed on whether the shooting could be considered gang-related, Brown declined to confirm, but investigators are actively exploring the possibility of mistaken identity as a factor.
"I can't say that it's completely random, but the victims are completely random," Brown said, adding that mistaken identity is "one of the things RCMP are looking into."
Staff Sgt. Brown acknowledged the significant public speculation surrounding the case and said police do have a working understanding of the motive — but are limited in what they can disclose to avoid compromising court proceedings.
"An important part of any homicide investigation is developing an understanding of such motivations," he said. "Not undermining the court process, I am limited to what I can say at this time."
No additional suspects are being sought, according to police.
Source: The Globe and Mail. Additional reporting by WestNet News Staff.