Indian-origin Birinder Singh shot dead on Edmonton highway, suspect charged with second-degree murder

A man has been charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Birinder Singh, a 22-year-old international student from India during the incident on a daytime highway near Leduc, just south of Edmonton, Canada.Singh was shot on March 14 while driving on Highway 2 near Township Road 490. He died later that day. Investigators say the shooting occurred when someone in a passing pickup truck opened fire on Singh’s vehicle.On Wednesday, Alberta RCMP confirmed that 23-year-old Deon Libeskal has been charged with second-degree murder and accessory to murder in connection with Singh’s death. Libeskal was already in police custody on unrelated charges.The charges follow the earlier arrest of Jimmy Gassner, 18, of Lloydminster, Alberta, who was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the same incident. According to RCMP, Gassner was arrested near Canoe Lake, Saskatchewan.Investigators believe all suspects connected to the shooting have now been identified and charged. Both Gassner and Libeskal have “some criminal history” and were known to police. Court records show Libeskal previously faced charges of obstructing a peace officer and failure to provide information to a peace officer.Investigators believe the shooting was an accidental incident and that neither Gassner nor Libeskal knew Singh or the two other people in his vehicle at the time.The World Sikh Organization of Canada, which works to protect the rights of Sikhs in the country, has called on police to investigate Singh’s murder as a hate crime. The organization cited concerns about a rise in anti-Sikh sentiment across Canada.However, RCMP said there is currently no evidence the shooting was racially motivated, or related to a robbery, gang-initiated, road rage or hate crime. He also said investigators had not ruled out the possibility of mistaken identity or gang affiliation.Alberta RCMP Cpl. Matthew Howell said it was a “very rare example.” He said people can still feel safe driving on the province’s roads.

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