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<\/p>\nThe World Sikh Organization of Canada say the shooting death of international student and former Brampton resident Birinder Singh (pictured) could have been a mate-motivated attack. (Photo: Retrieved from Facebook)<\/p>\n
Mounties have charged an 18-year-old man from Alberta with the second-degree murder of international student and former Brampton resident Birinder Singh \u2013 a death the World Sikh Organization of Canada says could have been hate-motivated.<\/p>\n
The Alberta RCMP says Singh was shot and killed on March 14.<\/p>\n
The 22-year-old international student had recently moved to the province from Brampton, and was reportedly on a birthday road trip with friends heading to see Banff for the first time.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when police say a grey Ford F-150 pulled alongside Singh\u2019s vehicle, and someone inside the truck opened fire.<\/p>\n
Singh was struck in the neck, and died in his friends\u2019 arms, according to reports.<\/p>\n
The grey 2022 Ford F-150 has since been recovered, and police said on Tuesday that an 18-year-old male suspect was arrested in an area around 450 kilometres north of Saskatoon.<\/p>\n
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The RCMP says Jimmy Gassner, 18, of Lloydminster, Alta., has been charged with second-degree murder. The accused will be transported to Alberta to make a court appearance at a later date.<\/p>\n
The WSO says Singh \u201cwas beginning to establish his life in Canada,\u201d and called his death \u201ca sudden, unprovoked act of extreme violence.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n WSO President Danish Singh said the shooting may have been hate-motivated, and that police must \u201cexamine whether Birinder Singh was targeted because of his Sikh identity.\u201d<\/p>\n Sikh and South Asian Canadians across the country have been the target of extortion in recent years, some leading to violence and shootings.<\/p>\n Danish said Sikhs are being \u201crepeatedly targeted and demonized,\u201d including by white nationalist groups promoting anti-immigrant hate, and by \u201ccoordinated disinformation campaigns\u201d originating from India \u201cthat seek to vilify and dehumanize Sikhs in Canada.\u201d<\/p>\n Police have not commented on a suspected motive in the shooting.<\/p>\n