A 28-year-old Indian-origin Punjabi Sikh truck driver from Sacramento was stabbed 17 times at a rest area in Wyoming, United States, leaving him hospitalized with injuries to his neck, chest, arms and ribs. A 45-year-old American national has been arrested in connection with the stabbing and charged with attempted first-degree murder.
Gurvinder Singh was attacked after another man followed him into a washroom at the Bitter Creek Rest Area along Interstate 80 on Sunday morning. The driver, who identified himself only by his surname, Singh, said the attack took place after the man followed him into the bathroom and suddenly attacked him with a knife.
Singh told NPR that he was travelling towards Pennsylvania when he stopped at the rest area to use the washroom. He said another man followed him inside and suddenly attacked him with a knife. Singh suffered multiple stab wounds to his neck, chest, arms and ribs before managing to escape the restroom. He then collapsed outside and called for help.
As the truck driver cried for help, a Hispanic family at the rest stop heard the commotion and came to his aid, trying to attend to his wounds and provide medical assistance. The family also gave police information about the suspect's truck.
After learning about the incident, the Wyoming Highway Patrol stopped the vehicle near Rawlins, about 113 kilometres from the rest area, and arrested the suspect, identified as Andrew Kris Bzdak. He has been charged with attempted first-degree murder. Authorities have not established a motive for the attack.
Singh, who has been driving trucks commercially for around three years, said the attack has left him worried about the safety of other Punjabi Sikh truck drivers travelling across the United States. He remained in hospital as of Wednesday.
Singh added that he fears for his safety, remains shaken by the violence and cannot understand why he was targeted.
Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Indian-origin Congressman and member of the Democratic Party, strongly condemned the attack, saying he was horrified by what he described as growing hatred against Indian immigrants in the United States. He posted on X: “I’m horrified by the brutal attack on a Sikh truck driver who was stabbed 17 times at a Wyoming rest stop. This comes amid rising hatred targeting Sikh and South Asian Americans, with even the Trump Department of Homeland Security recently posting a racist caricature of a Sikh truck driver telling him to ‘get off our roads’ and ‘self-deport or find out.’”
Rep. Mike Thompson, who represents California's 4th Congressional District, also condemned the stabbing. “This is horrible. This incident must be thoroughly investigated and the person responsible must be brought to justice. My thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Singh and his family during these difficult times,” he posted on X.
The stabbing occurred days after the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) faced criticism over an AI-generated, movie-style graphic featuring a Sikh man identified as “Mr Singh.” It carried the message: “America for Americans. Get off our roads; you don't know how to drive, Mr Singh.” The post also urged people to “self-deport.”
The graphic was published as part of the Trump administration's messaging on illegal immigration and immigrant truck drivers. The DHS faced widespread criticism over the post, which was subsequently removed.
