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UBCO homicide victim new resident to Canada

Harmandeep Kaur is being named as the victim from Saturdaysa国际传媒檚 attack
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UBCO homicide victim Harmandeep Kaur. (Facebook)

Harmandeep Kaur is being named as the homicide victim of Saturdaysa国际传媒檚 attack at UBC Okanagan.

Paramjit Singh Patara, vice-president of the Okanagan Sikh Temple, confirmed the 24-year-old womansa国际传媒檚 name, saying she moved to Canada six years ago from India.

Kuljit Pabla is a family member of Kaursa国际传媒檚 and resides in West Kelowna. sa国际传媒淲e are devastated,sa国际传媒 he said.

sa国际传媒淲e just cansa国际传媒檛 comprehend why it happened,sa国际传媒 said Pabla. sa国际传媒淚t just seems so senseless.sa国际传媒

sa国际传媒淪he came to Canada, trying to progress her life.sa国际传媒

She made the decision to move to Canada after discussions with her family. Pabla explained that her family chose Canada because they consider Canada a safe place. sa国际传媒淯sually it is,sa国际传媒 said Pabla.

She initially went to school in the Lower Mainland, but to improve her chances of being granted permanent residency she decided to start working. Pabla said that she was a hard worker and worked many jobs, including being a supervisor at a Five Guys restaurant.

sa国际传媒淪he worked many jobs to fast-track her permanent residency,sa国际传媒 said Pabla.

Kaur had been granted her permanent residency just three weeks prior to the devastating attack. Pabla said she and her family were elated.

Most recently, she had been working for Paladin security as an officer at UBCO, hoping to one day attend school there, said Pabla.

sa国际传媒淗er goal was to continue (her) education as she saved up money, with support from the family,sa国际传媒 he said.

She would tell Pabla and his wife sa国际传媒淚 want to be like them,sa国际传媒 when she saw the kids studying at the university while she worked security. sa国际传媒淪he wanted to be there as a student,sa国际传媒 said Pabla.

A tribute to Harmandeep Kaur is displayed on the UBCO campus. (Jordy Cunningham/Capital News)

She was attacked early in the morning on Sat. Feb. 26 after working an overnight shift on campus.

Kelowna RCMP announced Monday that Kaur had succumbed to her injuries and that officers were investigating her death as a homicide.

READ MORE: Assault on UBCO security guard now a homicide

The attacker was identified shortly after the incident and was apprehended under the Mental Health Act. His identity has not been released and he remains in hospital and faces possible murder charges.

A press release from Kelowna RCMP indicated that the suspect was an employee of the university at the time of the attack.

Lesley Cormack, deputy vice-chancellor and principal at UBCO, issued a statement regarding the attack stating the campus is working with RCMP to provide any assistance required in the investigation.

sa国际传媒淎ll of our security personnel are deeply valued members of our campus community. They work tirelessly every day to keep our students, faculty and staff safe and to be a welcoming, friendly and reassuring face when help is needed,sa国际传媒 she said.

Patara explained that Kaursa国际传媒檚 family is currently travelling from India to Canada and added that the temple has offered to pay for the funeral and expenses.

Kaur also has family in Squamish, the lower mainland and the U.S.

sa国际传媒淣o one deserved this, but she definitely didnsa国际传媒檛 deserve this,sa国际传媒 said Pabla.

During Mondaysa国际传媒檚 Kelowna City Council meeting Kara Triance, Kelowna RCMP superintendent stated that three of four homicides in the city last year involved a mental health component.

RCMP calls for service involving mental health-related issues were up slightly in 2021, at 3,105, compared with 2,899 in 2020. Triance said there is a need to respond to multiple different areas, such as the need for care while incarcerated, the need for mental health and substance use support and dealing with mental health calls in general.

READ MORE: RCMP investigating assault at University of British Columbia Okanagan



jen.zielinski@bpdigital.ca

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