Celebrating Heroism of Satwant Singh Kaleka in Wisconsin Gurdwara Shooting...

Aman Singh · #1 (**permalink**) 07-Aug-2012, 12:10 PM

In this grim moment of senseless human tragedy in Winsconsin Gurdwara, SPN celebrates the heroism of Satwant Singh Kaleka, whose single handed actions saved the precious lives of many many fellow human beings from hands of a madman. If it wasn’t for him (as well as Officer Murphy & his partner) many more innocent people may have died.

As reports are emerging, white supremacist Wade Michael Page didn’t expect any resistance when he strode into the Wisconsin gurdwara brandishing a 9-millimeter handgun and multiple magazines of ammunition and opened fire. But he didn’t account for Satwant Singh Kaleka, the ferocious 65-year-old president of the gurdwara in Oak Creek.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-personalities/38899-celebrating-heroism-satwant-singh-kaleka-wisconsin.html

From what we understand, he attempted to use a kirpan or talwar to attack and tackle the shooter but was shot in the back after a struggle. This is the correct use of a kirpan, protecting the innocent and those that are unable to protect themselves.

The FBI told Kaleka’s family he attacked the shooter in the lobby, resulting in a “blood struggle.” A bloodied kirpan lay close to Kaleka’s body.

“It’s an amazing act of heroism, but it’s also exactly who he was,” Kaleka’s son Amardeep told CNN Milwaukee affiliate WTMJ.

Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38899
“There was no way in God’s green Earth that he would allow somebody to come in and do that without trying his best to stop it,” added Amardeep. “He slowed the shooter enough so other people could get to safety.”

Sikhs are known for their bravery and Kaleka made it plain to gun-toting Page that this is not a community that cowers. Kaleka took at least two bullets at close range while trying to tackle the gunman. Even though the struggle lasted only minutes, it gave the Sikh congregation time to duck for cover.

Kaleka was one of six Sikhs killed on Sunday which included five men and one 41-year-old woman Paramjit Kaur. During a chaotic few hours after the first shots were fired around 10:30 a.m., police carrying assault rifles surrounded the gurdwara with armoured vehicles. The gunman ambushed one of the first officers to arrive at the temple as the officer tended to a victim outside. A second officer then exchanged gunfire with the suspect, who was finally shot.

Randip Singh · #2 (**permalink**) 07-Aug-2012, 15:06 PM

A True hero of the Sikh community reminding us of why we are Sikhs. We are here to stand up to injustice and stand up for the weak.

Let's also remember another hero of that day, who I think our community should honour:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wisconsin-t...ry?id=16939854

Wisconsin Temple Shooting Hero Cop Brian Murphy Shot 8 Times, Waved Off Aid

Oak Creek Police Department Lt. Brian Murphy, 51, is shown in this undated photo distributed Monday, Aug. 6, 2012. (Courtesy Milwaukee

By KEVIN DOLAK (@kdolak)
Aug. 6, 2012

A police officer shot at least eight times in the neck and extremities outside the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis, waved off fellow officers attempting to rescue him and indicated they should assist others still inside.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38899

Lt. Brian Murphy, 51, was shot Sunday and is now recovering in the hospital after a second surgery, Oak Creek Police Chief John Edwards said. The 21-year veteran of the police force is expected to survive.

"[Murphy] received eight or nine gunshot wounds, to extremities and also to the cheek area and the neck," Edwards said. "He was in very close proximity to the shooter. When he arrived, he came upon someone who was injured, and he was going to assist that individual when the shooter came around him, close to his squad, and hit him at a close distance."
The officer was wearing a bullet proof vest, Edwards said.

After gunman Wade Page was shot and killed by other officers, they moved to rescue Murphy. But when they located him, Murphy indicated that rather than help him they should enter the temple to assist any other victims.

"He had been shot nine times -- one of them very serious in the neck area -- and he waved them off and told them to go into the temple to assist those in there," Edwards said.

Murphy was the first police officer to respond to the scene when 911 calls began pouring into the police department around 10:25 a.m. after the gunman, Army veteran Wade Michael Page, opened fire at the Sikh religious center just south of Milwaukee.

Murphy, who Edwards said was a member of Oak Creek police department's tactical team for years, was the first officer to encounter Page when he arrived at the scene.

Officers arriving on the scene just after Murphy heard the exchange of gunfire, but were not aware that an officer had been shot, Edwards said. The officers soon observed Page walking through the parking lot and began to give him commands to drop his weapon and put his hands up.
Page responded with gunfire, spraying two police vehicles with bullets. At that point one of the officers on the scene shot and killed him.

"One of the officers returned fire with his squad rifle, putting the individual down," Edwards said at a press conference today. "They then secured that individual, and at that point did an officer rescue."

When Murphy didn't answer his call, his colleagues realized he had been hurt and searched for him.

Murphy underwent surgery at Froedtert Hospital, the main trauma center in the Milwaukee region, along with two other injured victims. All three of the victims remain in critical condition as of Monday morning, according to a representative from Froedtert Hospital.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38899

All were in critical condition with gunshot wounds - one to the chest and abdomen, one to the neck, and the third to his face and extremities, a hospital spokesman said.

Murphy was born in Brooklyn but moved to the Midwest to be closer to his wife's family, his father James Murphy told ABC News. He has a daughter who currently lives in South Korea and two stepchildren from his second wife.

In the wake of the shooting New York-based Sikhs for Justice has pledged $10,000 award to Murphy.

harry haller · #3 (**permalink**) 07-Aug-2012, 15:57 PM

I guess everyone has a different view of this, and why it happened. The more fickle will say we have angered the Gods, and this is punishment, or that this was written, and it was fate (or Hukam, depending on your interpretation),

I think the Sikh way of explanation is that a confused and angry man went to a temple with the intention of killing as many as he could. Once there he encountered a man. This man lived by a code of conduct that protected the weak and helpless, this man gave his life, and for that , the death toll was a lot lower, assisted by other people, who had also sworn to protect the weak, uphold the law, the confused and angry man was killed.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38899
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38899

The police officer was indeed a true Sikh, Sardar Kaleka stands as a Giant in these troubled times when we have so few Giants to look up to, do your best, act within Sikhi, and take everything that happens to you as a blessing.

Some might say the angry man had the devil inside, clearly, the will of man can be more dangerous than that of the devil.

Joginder Singh Foley · #4 (**permalink**) 11-Aug-2012, 18:12 PM

WJFFWJKF

Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38899
Harry HallarJi The angry man might indeed have had the devil inside him but who put the devil inside him ? Himself or the society that produced him That is my quiry and i am off the opinion that his devil may be a result of the society that produced him!!!

harry haller · #5 (**permalink**) 11-Aug-2012, 19:21 PM

Joginderji

Interesting point, of course, as Sikhs, we do not believe in the devil inside, more, a lack of connection. I think there are those for whom a lack of connection means they may exceed the speed limit, or forget to return a book. I do not believe we are all capable of such actions, connection or not.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38899

However there are those that through drugs, life experience, alcohol etc have a warped view of life. Could connection have stopped this? No, I think not, to have that sort of connection, or to even want it, requires lucidity and some intelligence.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38899

I cannot answer your question ji, I , myself, do not like the idea that society created this monster, it takes away the responsibility from the monster himself. I think we are just talking of a warped madman in a lucid dream.

Luckysingh · #6 (**permalink**) 12-Aug-2012, 05:12 AM

I don't think it matters wether we believe a devil inside or not.
What does matter is that whatever this man believed in or what his belief was, was unfortunately wrong and false.

He was in the forces, so I'm more than certain that he had a good idea of what people from the middle east are and what Punjabi sikhs and indians are.
For someone of his intelligence to mistake a Mr Singh for a Mr Bin laden, I'm sure is not quite right.

The U.S. forces are not going to want to have anything to do with him. So, any colleagues or friends he had back there, will be instructed to stay shut- that's the way it works!
He wasn't some red-neck living in isolation in the deep south that had no idea that there are different ethnics. I'm sure that everyone in the forces has a very good idea what a sikh turban is and what islamic terrorists are and where they come from.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38899
I have a feeling, that the underlying issue was something else, but we may never know what his true intention was.