INDO-CANADIAN ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS WIFE

He was known as a family man, a father of two young boys who volunteered his time coaching kids’ soccer. He was also a community activist, using a radio platform to give advice to new immigrants to the country.

Neighbours of Tarith Sehmbi are shocked that the Edmonton RCMP officer stands accused of killing his wife.

Constable Sehmbi, a 36-year-old Mountie with seven years of experience on the force, was charged Sunday with second-degree murder in the slaying of his wife. Her name was not released.

Neighbours near the couple’s home reported hearing what sounded like gunshots the morning earlier. Shortly after, police arrived to find the body of a woman inside the home.

Clifton Purvis, executive director of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, said Constable Sehmbi is expected to appear in court on Monday.

Meanwhile, news of the incident left local community members reeling.

“He wanted to do a lot for the community,” said Sukhdev Dhillon, president of Radio Punjabi, an Edmonton radio station that caters to the South Asian community. “When I heard what had happened, I was shocked.”

Mr. Dhillon said that Constable Sehmbi had, until a few months ago, volunteered regularly at Radio Punjabi, co-hosting a weekly radio show that gave advice to newcomers, particularly on issues dealing with police.

Constable Sehmbi, who worked in the traffic services division at an Edmonton-area detachment, would give audiences advice on everything from dealing with traffic tickets, to tips on obtaining a driver’s licence.

“When people come from India, they have a very different perspective of police,” Mr. Dhillon said. “People can be scared of going to police, so he showed that this isn’t like India, that police can be very helpful and friendly.”

Mr. Dhillon said he had been to the Sehmbi household a number of times, and called them a “very nice family.”

The couple had two young boys in elementary school, Mr. Dhillon said, and his wife worked at a local Starbucks coffee shop.

Mr. Dhillon added that, aside from volunteering at Radio Punjabi, Mr. Sehmbi also volunteered his time coaching kids’ soccer, and spent much of his time ferrying his kids back and forth between hockey and soccer practices.

Purvis said the couple's two children weren't inside the home in the hours leading up to the woman's death.

Peter Hourihan, the assistant commissioner in charge of criminal operations with the RCMP, has stated the children are being cared for by family members.

Neighbours of the Sehmbi family were also surprised to hear the news.

“It’s a nice neighbourhood, with a lot of very nice families,” said one woman, who declined to give her name but lives down the street from the family. “I was surprised to see police here Saturday, because policemen don’t usually come to our street for family stuff,” she said.

“It’s a sad story. A very, very sad story.”

Report from the Canadian Press and Globe and Mail