Sarnia, Ontario, 5 December 2024: In a tragic turn of events, 22-year-old Gursees Singh, a student from Ludhiana, Punjab, was fatally stabbed in his apartment in Sarnia, Ontario, on December 1. Singh, who had moved to Canada four months earlier to pursue higher studies, was attacked in his rented home on Queen Street.
Singh, a postgraduate business student at Lambton College, had been adjusting to life in Canada after completing his undergraduate degree at Punjab College of Technical Education (PCTE) in Baddowal. On the night of the incident, Singh was allegedly attacked by his neighbor, 36-year-old Crossley Hunter, who lived in the same apartment complex. According to the Sarnia police, the two men had an argument in the kitchen before Hunter stabbed Singh multiple times.
Police have charged Hunter with second-degree murder, though they have stated there is no indication the attack was racially motivated. Investigators are continuing to probe the case, with the accused initially claiming self-defense. However, authorities noted inconsistencies in his statement, prompting further examination of the circumstances surrounding the stabbing.
Charanjit Singh, Gursees’ father, disputed the police account, claiming his son was attacked while asleep. He suggested the assailant may have been under the influence of drugs. “Gursees was in high spirits when he spoke with us just hours before his death. He had plans to bring the family together in Canada,” Charanjit said, his voice filled with grief. The family had recently invested their savings into Gursees’ education and relocation to Canada.
The murder has left the family devastated. Gursees’ mother was hospitalized after suffering a shock upon hearing the news. The family, who lives in Ludhiana’s Phase-7, Focal Point, Chandigarh Road, is now seeking assistance from the Indian government to repatriate Gursees’ body and secure financial aid.
Lambton College has stepped in to help the grieving family by coordinating funeral and repatriation arrangements. In the wake of the tragedy, students and community members have launched an online fundraiser to assist the family with financial support.
At 4:59 am on December 1, Sarnia police were called to the scene. They have since clarified that while Hunter’s initial claim of self-defense was considered, evidence suggests discrepancies in his account. The investigation is ongoing, as authorities work to uncover the full details of the deadly confrontation.