AP Dhillon, a Camosun student turned internationally popular Punjabi singer and rapper, is unharmed after an apparent attack on his house in Colwood. West Shore RCMP said that after calls at 1:15am on Monday, officers found multiple shots fired at a home on Ravenwood and two burning vehicles which Colwood Fire quickly put out. 

Police describe it as a “targeted event” and seek drivers’ dashcam footage from nearby Veterans Memorial Parkway between 12 and 1:30am. 

India Today reported on Monday that Dhillon's homes in Woodbridge, Ontario and on “Victoria Island” were shot at. It republished a video circulating online that appears to show the POV of the shooter. The video is unverified, but matches neighbours' descriptions and photos of the aftermath.

Neighbours told the Vancouver Sun / Times Colonist that security cameras showed a black SUV driving on Ravenwood Road before shots were heard around 1am. Diane Reed said that she saw the remnants of two burning vehicles, and that the only person home had been Shinda Kahlon (a musician Dhillon often works with). The RCMP release referred to occupants (plural).

Dhillon, 31, posted on Instagram on Labour Day afternoon, saying “I'm safe. My people are safe,” thanking people who reached out to him, and wishing “Peace and love to all.” He also uploaded a video of himself with friends, singing an acoustic version of a new song.

The house is currently blurred on Google Maps—a privacy service that residents can request.

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Targeted over celebrity association, per Indian media

The Lawrence Bishnoi – Rohit Godara gang has claimed responsibility, India Today writes, has targeted and publicly threatened Dhillon with a “dog’s death” over his association with actor Salman Khan. This summer Dhillon filmed a music video with Khan, who is one of India's highest-grossing actors. 

The group has targeted musicians in the past, and claimed responsibility for political assassinations in India and Canada. Lawrence Bishnoi, currently incarcerated in India, has targeted Khan, and people around him, over his alleged poaching of an endangered blackbuck antelope, which Bishnoi's community holds sacred. This high-profile hunting controversy has spanned more than 20 years and multiple court cases. Khan's own home was shot at this spring.

The “Old Money” music video, released last month, is an action-movie homage in which Khan shoots and punches his way through a house full of henchmen to rescue Dhillon from a rival gang. At the end, they are admonished over the phone by another veteran of Indian crime thrillers, Sanjay Dutt, and a “Say no to violence” caption concludes the video. 

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Warning: The music video below contains scenes of violence.

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New album is #3 in Canada

The attacks came just days after Dhillon released new album The Brownprint, which yesterday was ranked #3 on the Apple Music album charts for Canada. 

Though his songs have not often crossed over on mainstream Canadian charts, with just a few appearances in the Top 100 singles, multiple tracks have hit #1 on both the UK's Punjabi chart and Asian chart. His four biggest songs have over a billion Spotify streams together.

Last year, Dhillon delivered the first Punjabi performance in Juno music awards show history. 

Article updated with additional details at 7:30am Tuesday.