A 55-year-old Indian-origin businessman, Arvi Singh Sagoo, died after being assaulted by a stranger in what police have described as an unprovoked attack in central Edmonton earlier this month.
According to the Edmonton Police Service (EPS), officers were called to an assault near 109 Street and 100 Avenue around 2:20 a.m. on October 19. They found an unconscious man at the scene, who was later identified as Sagoo. He was rushed to hospital by emergency services with life-threatening injuries and placed on life support.
The accused, identified as 40-year-old Kyle Papin, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. The EPS confirmed that both men were not known to each other and that the incident appeared to be unprovoked. Sagoo succumbed to his injuries on October 24, following which the EPS Homicide Unit took over the investigation. Police said additional charges related to his death are pending.
While police have not disclosed further details of the confrontation, media reports citing Sagoo’s family suggest the incident began when he confronted a man urinating on his car.
According to a report by Global News, Sagoo had just returned to the vehicle with his girlfriend after dinner and asked the man, “Hey, what are you doing?” The suspect allegedly replied, “Whatever I want,” before walking up and punching him in the head. Sagoo collapsed to the ground, and his girlfriend immediately called 911.
An autopsy is scheduled for October 28, while Papin is expected to appear in court on November 4.
Friends and relatives described Sagoo as a kind and devoted father of two. His close friend, Vincent Ram, has launched a fundraiser to support Sagoo’s children and cover funeral and living expenses. The campaign aims to ensure financial and emotional support for the family in the wake of his death.
Another Indian-origin businessman was shot dead outside his house in Canada's British Columbia province on Monday in a suspected "targeted incident", according to media reports and police.
68-year-old Darshan Sahsi was killed on Monday in the province's Abbotsford city.
Police responded to a report of a shooting on Ridgeview Drive, where they found Sahsi inside a vehicle, suffering from life-threatening injuries, Abbotsford Police said in a statement on Monday.
He succumbed to his injuries despite the lifesaving medical efforts of first responders.
While the statement did not identify Sahsi, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) later named him as the victim.
In a statement on Tuesday, IHIT spokesperson Sgt. Freda Fong said, "Early indications suggest this was a targeted incident and no one else was injured as a result of the shooting.”
“Investigators are working diligently to determine the motive and the circumstances surrounding the shooting," she said.
No arrests have been made in the case yet, and the investigation is ongoing.
Investigators also released a surveillance image of a silver Toyota Corolla involved in the shooting, CTV News reported.
Police urged anyone with information related to the incident to contact the IHIT.
Sahsi was the President of Canam International, one of the world’s leading clothing recyclers. The company’s website states that he was the child of a Sikh farmer and grew up in Punjab, and that he served as president of the company.
