Man charged with making death threats, harassment in Edmonton arson spree

CBC News

· Posted: Jun 12, 2025 1:41 PM EDT | Last Updated: June 12

A 25-year-old antheral has been charged successful transportation with a series of arsons in south Edmonton that saw vehicles acceptable connected occurrence and a drawstring of victims facing death threats. 

Over a play of astir 3 months, betwixt Feb. 29, 2024, and May 23, 2025, constabulary were called to analyse 8 incidents involving conveyance arsons, threatening notes and online harassment. 

The man was arrested connected June 4, but Edmonton constabulary lone announced the charges Thursday. 

The accused faces 13 charges of uttering threats to origin death, 5 counts of transgression harassment, 4 counts of arson, on with disguise with intent charges, constabulary said. 

Most of the incidents happened aboriginal successful the greeting astatine homes successful the neighbourhoods of Silver Berry, Pollard Meadows, Laurel, Wildrose and Summerside, constabulary said. 

The incidents look to beryllium targeted. The accused and his alleged victims were known to 1 another, constabulary said. 

According to tribunal documents, the antheral is alleged to person threatened astatine slightest 13 victims, including women, men and children crossed the Edmonton region. 

According to the charges, galore of the victims faced repeated harassment, with immoderate facing aggregate decease threats against them oregon their families implicit a substance of weeks. 

The charges amusement that the incidents escalated successful frequency.

On April 3, a car was acceptable connected fire. It happened again connected April 30, and connected Nov. 3.  On May 9, a motortruck and a minivan were some acceptable ablaze, each portion threats to radical and their possessions continued, tribunal documents show. 

The probe is ongoing, but constabulary bash not judge the crimes are connected to erstwhile arson investigations, including Project Gaslight — a drawstring of arson extortion crimes targeting location builders successful Edmonton's South Asian community.  

Police investigated 40 related incidents related to Project Gaslight. 

Maninder Singh Dhaliwal is the accused mastermind of those extortion cases and an extradition exertion was issued by Edmonton constabulary past year, aft helium was apprehended successful the United Arab Emirates connected abstracted charges.