On Wednesday, May 27, 2026, police received a report of a collision in a parking lot in the area of 82 Street and 144 Avenue at approximately 6:45 p.m. It was reported that a female suspect confronted the female complainant about how she had parked her car, boxing in the complainant’s car and preventing her from leaving the parking lot while making racist and xenophobic comments.
Ultimately, while the complainant was on foot outside her vehicle, the suspect drove towards her, striking her with the front bumper and then leaving the scene without exchanging information, rendering aid to the victim, or reporting the collision to police. It is believed the victim, who wears a hijab, was targeted based on her religious and/or cultural identity.
On Thursday, July 9, 2026, the accused, Kelly Smith, 37, turned herself in to police and was charged with assault with a weapon and criminal hit and run. Smith was released on a Promise to Appear. The EPS Hate Crimes Unit is also recommending that Section 718.2 of the Criminal Code of Canada be applied in this case, allowing the courts to consider increased sentencing when there is evidence the offence may have been motivated by hatred.
“The EPS takes hate-motivated incidents and crimes very seriously. These events hurt not only the victim, but the vicarious trauma has an impact on entire communities,” says Sgt. Amanda Ross, with the EPS Hate Crimes Unit. “This incident caused fear and concern within the Muslim community in Edmonton and the surrounding area, and police want to assure the community that this report was thoroughly investigated as a hate-motivated crime.”