USA Shooting At Sikh Gurudwara In Wisconcin

[Kanwaljit.Singh]

Source http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation...emple-in-wisconsin.html#.UB6ynucH_CY.facebook

OAK CREEK, Wis. (AP) — There has been a shooting at a Sikh temple outside of Milwaukee. Police are still searching for gunmen and said there still is a hostage situation at the temple. Other reports indicate a gunman left the temple and is on the loose.
One police officer was shot multiple times, according to a police update, and a suspect was shot.

Reports were unclear on how many people were shot or killed, but estimates of four killed and 20 shot at the temple.

The Journal Sentinel said it received one report that children were being taken to a basement an held as hostages.

CNN reported that aerial shots show multiple bodies in the temple’s parking lot.

Oak Creek Police Department dispatcher Stephanie Uljanec says the shooting took place Sunday morning at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin but she doesn’t know how many people are shot or if there are fatalities.

A spokeswoman for Froedert Hospital, the main trauma center in the Milwaukee area, has told CNN that two men have been taken there and the hospital is ready to receive more.

There are more than a dozen ambulances parked outside the temple, and police have corralled media and a handful of bystanders to an area near the temple.

Oak Creek is south of Milwaukee along Lake Michigan.

 

[Kanwaljit.Singh]

President of the Gurudwara shot at.
Multiple gunmen, one taken down.
One cop injured.
3 people in hospital, 2 shot in face.
There is still hostage situation.
SWAT called in, electricity and other supplies cut.

 

[Kanwaljit.Singh]

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/05/breaking-reports-of-shooting-at-sikh-temple/

 

[Luckysingh]

This is distressing, we don't know the full story yet at the moment i've been watching CBC inbetween the olympics.

They do not know if it was hate crime or if the killer(s) were hitmen.-
No confrimed gurdwara political issues such as elections
However, there was a suspected history of objections and threats when nagar kirtans were organized.

This is a few weeks after the massacre in Colorado film theatre.

 

[Luckysingh]

There are still people inside as they don't know if another gunman is inside.
These people are hiding in cupboards, basement and other rooms.

I'm not sure why the SWAT team have not stormed in to find another suspected gunman- is it because they are trying to respect the fact it is a gurdwara!!

Apparantly the cop that shot the killed gunman, himself took bullets fired at him by the killer. We know that this killer was a White man.

 

[Archived_Member16]

At least 7 dead, including shooter, at Sikh Temple

Sunday, August 5, 2012


At least seven people were killed, including one shooter, just after 10 a.m. Sunday at the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, police said.

Four of the dead were inside the temple at 7512 S. Howell Ave. and three of the dead, including a shooter, were outside the temple.

A police SWAT team entered the building before noon and brought uninjured people out of the building at 7512 S. Howell Ave.

They started removing injured people from the temple's prayer room.

SWAT team members were still sweeping the building about 1 p.m. and an explosion was heard from the building at that time. It was unclear what the explosion was.

The first officer on the scene encountered an active shooter and exchanged fire with him, according to Greenfield Police Chief Bradley Wentlandt who briefed media on the scene.

The shooter went down and is believed to be dead, said Wentlandt, who is acting as police spokesman for the incident. He said authorities had no evidence of a second shooter.

Wentlandt said the officer was hit multiple times, but is expected to survive. He said the officer was a 20-year veteran and "an extremely accomplished tactical officer." He was taken to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa where he was in surgery just before 2 p.m.

Among those who were shot was the president of the temple, Satwant Kaleka, who was taken to a hospital.

Deepinder Dhaliwal said Kaleka, his brother in law, was shot in the back, but has now been taken to a hospital in St. Francis.

Dhaliwal said his sister, the president's wife, called him while hiding inside the building with a few other women.

**** Katschke, a spokesman for the Medical College of Wisconsin, said three adult males were being treated at Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa. One of the three was undergoing surgery in the intensive care ward. Another is in an operating room. And the third is being treated in the emergency room, Katschke said.

All three were being treated for gunshot wounds. All are in critical condition, according to Froedtert.

People were in the temple as early as 6:30 a.m. Sunday and many more were arriving for a service that was to begin about 11:30 a.m.

There were reports that children were taken away from the area of the building where the shooting took place after shots were fired.

Someone who sent a text message to a Journal Sentinel reporter shortly before noon said that there were two shooters with children possibly as hostages.

And the head priest was locked inside a restroom with a cell phone and that there were as many as 20 to 30 victims.

One of the temple's committee members, Ven Boba Ri, said that based on communication with people inside the temple, the shooter was a white male in his 30s.

"We have no idea," he said of the motive. "It's pretty much a hate crime. It's not an insider."

According to Ri, the man started shooting after he walked up to a priest who was standing outside, and shot him.

Then he went inside and started shooting.

People inside the temple were using cell phones to call people outside, saying please send help, Ri said.

"It's sad, I don't know how to describe it," said Ri, who has been fielding calls all morning from around the world, including India.

"Sikhism is such a peaceful religion. We have suffered for generations, in India and even here."

"We're all the same," said temple member Jaswinder Schandock. "Everybody has the same blood."

Groups of temple members were gathered, on cell phones, conferring in small groups and watching from afar.

Oak Creek police were not giving out any information at this point.

Numerous police agencies had responded to scene to assist Oak Creek, including the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

At least two dozen ambulances responded, including from Oak Creek, Caledonia, North Shore Fire, Greenfield and West Allis. Those ambulances had moved to the temple about 12:40 p.m.

As of about 1:15 p.m., the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office said it had not been called to the scene.

The Joint Terrorism Task Force, a collection of federal, state and local law enforcement, was on the scene of the shooting by 1 p.m. Those task forces, several of which are situated around the country, typically work quietly to prevent terrorism attacks but also respond to mass shootings to help coordinate law enforcement. Sources said it was too early to say if this will be considered an act of terrorism.

U.S. Attorney James Santelle said he expected federal law enforcement will play a role in the investigation. Exactly what that role is remains to be seen, Santelle said.

"I am clearly anticipating that there will be federal investigative support," Santelle said.

In previous mass shootings, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives trace the gun or guns used in the shooting. FBI also may take on a general investigative role, as they have in the past, helping with search warrants or conducting out of state aspects of the investigation.

Meanwhile, Brookfield police officers were dispatched to the Sikh Temple at 3675 N. Calhoun Road as a precaution in the aftermath of the Oak Creek shooting.

At least three squads were at the temple in Waukesha County and they blocked off roads leading to the building.

About 50 people were at the Brookfield temple for a morning service and many of them went outside after they learned of the shooting in Oak Creek.

More than 20 million people worldwide follow the Sikh religion, established about 500 years ago in the Punjab region of India. Devout male followers must wear long beards and their hair in a turban, and in America are sometimes mistaken for Muslims; the two religions are not affiliated. Sikhism is an offshoot of Hinduism, but unlike Hindus, who believe in multiple deities, Sikhs are monotheistic.

In the days after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, at least four acts of violence against Sikhs occurred in the Milwaukee area, , said Swarnjit S. Arora, a founder of the local Sikh Religious Society said in 2002. Two taxis owned by Sikh drivers were vandalized, and two Sikh men were assaulted, said Arora. The crimes were not widely reported by the news media because they were overshadowed by dramatic events across the nation, he said.

About 3,000 Sikh families live in southeastern Wisconsin. A tight-knit community, they meet for religious services and to share meals at the Religious Society in Brookfield and the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, in Oak Creek, which opened in 2007. Sikh temples are called gurdwaras, or the gateway to the guru.

The Oak Creek scene was similar to the situation in 2005, when a gunman killed seven people and himself at a church meeting in a Brookfield hotel.

Terry Ratzmann, 44, opened fire March 12, 2005, during a worship service of the Living Church of God at the Sheraton hotel in Brookfield.

Journal Sentinel staff writers Tom Daykin, John Diedrich, Bruce Vielmetti, Don Walker, James B. Nelson and Georgia Pabst contributed to this report.

source: http://www.jsonline.com/news/crime/...kh-temple-in-oak-creek-qc6cgc0-165059506.html

NOTE: Most of the incoming news reports indicate the shooters were "TWO WHITE MEN" ! Furthermore, Law enforcement agencies are "guarding" other Sikh Temples in the state.

 

[Luckysingh]

Terrible tragedy this is. They think that it was only one shooter and he was the one gunned down.

Milwaukee is a nice place with a lot of european immigrants, it also has many mexicans, oriental and asians. I can't understand why brown sikhs would encounter such hate crime.

Milwaukee has always been famous for it's brewing industry and for me as the home of ''Happy Days''- the US sitcom in the 80's featuring the Fonz. I was always a huge fan of this TV series and that's why I paid a visit there a few years back. I had a fantastic time there and would always want it to be memorable for 'Happy Days' and what that meant for me.
Now, I have this tragic and sad episode to remember the city by.

The cop that took the killer down was himself a hero for taking those bullets and confronting him instead of hiding aside trying to get a perfect open shot.
The rapid actions of the police in response to 911 calls were tremendous and saved many more lives, as this would have been much worse if the police had not acted fast enough.

My heart goes out to all the victims and families, it's sad when you associate a place for nice memories before hand and then something like this happens.

 

[Archived_Member16]

Firing in US gurdwara packed with devotees; 7 dead, 20 hurt

New York, August 5

Six persons were killed in an attack on a gurdwara during Sunday morning prayers in Wisconsin by at least one gunman who was also shot dead, the police said.

At least 20 persons were also injured when the shooter opened fire indiscriminately amid reports that 12 children were taken hostages at the Sikh shrine.

Greenfield police chief Bradley Wentlandt said four persons were gunned down inside the gurdwara while three, including the shooter, died outside the shrine. The identity of those killed was not immediately known.

The police said it had not yet identified if there was any other shooter involved in the incident. Preliminary reports had said that at least three gunmen were involved in the attack.

The critically injured have been admitted to Froedtert hospital. The shooting at Oak Creek, south of Wisconsin’s biggest city Milwaukee, occurred around 11 am (local time), the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel reported. Oak Creek is about 1,250 km from New York.

About 400 persons were present in the gurdwara at the time of the incident. A Sikh priest had specially come from India to address the gathering on Sunday.

US President Barack Obama was briefed by his counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan on the situation and the White House was seized of the matter, US officials said.

The shooter was last seen with two handguns.

President of the Sikh Society Gurcharan Grewal had earlier said, “The people who started shooting are three white people.”

A police spokesman said a law enforcement officer was shot multiple times by the unidentified shooter, who was “put down”. “We do not know if there are additional shooters in the gurdwara,” he said. The officer has been transported to hospital and was expected to survive.

The spokesman said tactical operations were going on and the situation was “very fluid”.

Media reports said about 12 children have been taken hostages.

Indian Ambassador Nirupama Rao described the shooting as “extremely tragic” and said the Embassy was in touch with the National Security Council at White House. The Consul General at Chicago was deputing an official to the spot. — PTI

source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120806/main2.htm

 

[Ishna]

What a horrible, horrible thing to occur. My heart goes out to this community.

 

[Archived_Member16]

World Sikh Council - America Region (WSC-AR)
P.O. Box 3635, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
Phone: 888-340-1702
Fax: 888-398-1875
E-mail: contact@worldsikhcouncil.org
Web: www.worldsikhcouncil.org


WSC-AR Condemns Milwaukee Sikh Gurdwara Shooting: Calls for Prayerful Response
August 5, 2012

Contact: Satpal Singh, Chairperson, WSC-AR, contact@worldsikhcouncil.org, 888-340-1702, 917-592-7297


The World Sikh Council - America Region (WSC-AR) is shocked and deeply saddened by the senseless shooting which occurred earlier today at the Sikh Gurdwara of Wisconsin in Oak Creek near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It has been reported that a suspect opened fire on a weekly congregation of the Sikhs while a reading of the Sikh scripture was in progress. Current reports say that there are 7 deaths, including an assailant, and many injured. One brave police officer was also one of those injured.

WSC-AR offers its condolences and support to the victims, their families, the law enforcement agencies (especially the police officer shot in the line of duty) and the surrounding community. This is a troubling day, not only for Sikh-Americans, but also for all Americans.

In the coming days, along with Sikh advocacy organizations, we will be working with public officials, and law enforcement authorities, to understand the events of today and to help the community in whatever way we can. The Council will also be providing support mediums for our interreligious partners and the public as we sort out this situation. This shooting comes on the heels of another tragedy, as our country continues to recover from the senseless shootings in Aurora, Colorado.

We urge all to pray for the victims, their families and friends, and the surrounding community. We also express our gratitude towards the law enforcement authorities for their prompt and effective response to the situation as it unfolded. We offer our appreciation for the bravery of the police officer shot, offer condolences, and pray that he will recover fully soon. As we learn more about the situation, we will keep the public updated and informed. We thank you for your patience and prayers during these difficult times.

The World Sikh Council - America Region (WSC-AR) is the umbrella organization representative of Sikhs in the United States. It is an elected body of Sikh Gurdwaras and institutions. Currently 47 Gurdwaras and other Sikh institutions across the nation are members of WSC-AR. The major governing purpose of the organization is to represent the collective view of Sikhs in the United States. WSC-AR works to promote Sikh interests at the national and international level focusing on issues of advocacy, education, and well-being of humankind.

*******

Member Gurdwaras of WSC-AR:

1. Pacific Coast Khalsa Diwan Society, Stockton, CA
2. Gurdwara Sahib Fremont, Fremont, CA
3. Guru Nanak Sikh Mission, Livingston, CA
4. Sikh Gurdwara of LA, North Hollywood, CA
5. Sikh Gurdwara Riverside, Riverside, CA
6. Gurdwara Guru Angad Darbar, Bakersfield, CA
7. Colorado Singh Sabha, Denver, CO
8. Guru Singh Sabha of Augusta, Augusta, GA
9. Sikh Study Circle of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
10. Sikh Religious Society of Chicago, Palatine, IL
11. Sikh Society of South, New Orleans, LA
12. New England Sikh Study Circle, Boston, MA
13. Singh Sabha of Michigan, Canton, MI
14. Sikh Gurdwara of Michigan, Rochester Hills, MI
15. Sikh Society of Michigan, Madison Heights, MI
16. Downriver Gurdwara Sahib, Brownstown, MI
17. Guru Nanak Foundation of Jackson, MS
18. Sikh Gurdwara of North Carolina, Durham, NC
19. Sikh Sabha of Upper Valley, Hanover, NH
20. Garden State Sikh Association, Bridgewater, NJ
21. Guru Nanak Sikh Society of Delaware Valley, Sewell, NJ
22. Siri Guru Singh Sabha, Glenrock, NJ
23. Sikh Sabha of New Jersey, Lawrenceville, NJ
24. Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh, Las Vegas, NV
25. Sikh Cultural Society Inc., Richmond Hills, NY
26. Sikh Cultural & Edu. Society of Western NY, Buffalo, NY
27. Sikh Foundation of Syracuse, Liverpool, NY
28. Guru Nanak Found. of Greater Cleveland, Richfield, OH
29. Guru Gobind Singh Sikh Society, Bedford, OH
30. Guru Nanak Religious Society of Central Ohio, Columbus, OH
31. Sikh Sadh Sangat, Easton, PA
32. Philadelphia Sikh Society, Millbourne, PA
33. Tristate Sikh Cultural Society, Monroeville, PA
34. Mid South Sikh Sabha, Memphis, TN
35. Sikh Center of Gulf Coast, Houston, TX
36. Siri Guru Singh Sabha, Richardson, TX
37. Sikh Gurdwara of North Texas, Garland, TX
38. Singh Sabha Gurdwara, Fairfax, VA
39. Sikh Association of Central Virginia, VA
40. Sikh Religious Society of Wisconsin, Brookfield, WI

Other Sikh Institution Members of WSC-AR:
1. Siri Guru Granth Sahib Found., Anaheim, CA
2. Sikhs Serving America, Topeka, KS
3. Sikh Youth Federation of North America, White Plains, NY
4. Sikh Heritage Foundation, Long Island, NY
5. Sikh Educational & Religious Foundation, Dublin, OH
6. Sikh Youth Federation of USA, Toledo, OH
7. Academy of Guru Granth Studies, Arlington, TX

*******

 

[Luckysingh]

Bach burey halathan tohn, patha patha singhan da vairi

 

[Harkiran Kaur]

I can't even begin to conceive how this could happen! My thoughts are with their families!

 

[Ishna]

There is a fundraiser here: http://www.indiegogo.com/Milwaukee-Sikh

What We Need & What You Get

We are raising funds publicly and non-anonymously to ensure that there are no concerns about accountability and transparency. We anticipate that the Milkwaukee Sikh community will require substantial financial support, as an adjunct to the warmth and respect that Sikhs and friends of Sikhs will provide all over the world.
It will take some time before the precise needs of the Milwaukee Sangat are enumerated. However, it is critical to raise support immediately as the incident is fresh in the minds of people worldwide. We will ensure that no money will be spent until those needs have been clearly conveyed to people who have pledged support, and that you will be able to rescind your contribution if you have found a better mechanism to provide financial support.

 

[Driops]

No way!! This is impossible! I had a dream about that - and now that happend really?!?! What the hell is going on...?

So sad... I dont know what to say.. besides doing Ardaas..

 

[Archived_Member16]

Authorities ID suspect in Wis. killings

Authorities say Wade Michael Page, 40, was former Army soldier

UPDATED 7:36 AM CDT Aug 06, 2012

OAK CREEK, Wisconsin (CNN) -
The man suspected of shooting and killing six people at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin on Sunday is former Army soldier Wade Michael Page, 40, law enforcement officials say. Authorities said Page was later shot and killed in a gun battle with police officers.

The FBI had is determining a motive and investigators were looking into whether the attack might be classified as domestic terrorism.

Tom Ahern, a spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, would not elaborate on the gunman's motives. He also would not elaborate on the man's tattoos.

Kanwardeep Singh Kaleka, a member of the five-year-old temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, said those inside the gurdwara -- or Sikh house of worship -- described the attacker as a bald, white man, dressed in a white T-shirt and black pants and with a 9/11 tattoo on one arm -- which "implies to me that there's some level of hate crime there."

Because of their customary beards and turbans, Sikh men are often confused for Muslims, and have been the targets of hate crimes since the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.

As officials investigate what allegedly made Page to go on his shooting spree shortly before the main Sunday morning service, America's Sikh community struggled to come to grips Monday with the brutal attack.

"It's probably somebody not in their right mind," Justice Singh Khalsa, a temple member since the 1990s, said late Sunday. "It's possibly a hate crime, somebody not understanding the religion."

The victims ranged in age from their late 20s to about 70, said Khalsa, who helped translate witness accounts for authorities.

One of the dead was a priest named Prakash Singh, who recently immigrated to the United States with his wife and two young children, Khalsa said.

The shooting also claimed the life of congregation president Satwant Kaleka, according to his son.

Satwant Kaleka's son, Amardeep, said his father was shot trying to take down the gunman in the temple. His mother hid in a closet.

Authorities have not formally released the names of the deceased.

The three victims who were wounded remained in critical condition early Monday morning at Milwaukee's Froedtert Hospital. One had been shot in the abdomen and chest; another in the face, and the third in the neck, the hospital said.

Meanwhile in India -- the birthplace of Sikhism -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he was "shocked and saddened" by the shooting.

"That this senseless act of violence should be targeted at a place of religious worship is particularly painful," Singh, himself a Sikh, said Monday. "India stands in solidarity with all the peace-loving Americans who have condemned this violence."

The country's main Sikh political party, the Shiromani Akali Dal, planned to hold a demonstration in New Delhi's embassy district Monday to protest.

Sunday's attack occurred about 10:30 a.m. (11:30 a.m. ET), when temple members were reading scriptures and cooking food in preparation for the main Sunday service and community lunch. The temple has more than 350 members.

According to witnesses, the gunman started shooting in the parking lot, killing at least one person. He then entered the temple and continued firing, they said.

Women who were in the kitchen preparing meals for the congregants "were fortunate enough to basically duck down and dodge" the bullets, said Kanwardeep Singh Kaleka.

Some ran to safety outside, others sought refuge in the temple's basement, while many huddled together tightly in the pantry.

The gunman shot and wounded the first officer to respond to the scene, Oak Creek Police Chief John Edwards said. A second officer returned fire, killing the shooter, and bringing an end to the bloodshed, according to the chief.

A single 9mm semi-automatic pistol believed to have been used by the gunman was found at the scene, a law enforcement source with direct knowledge of the investigation said.

It took several more hours for authorities to thoroughly sweep the building and the surrounding area, checking for clues and signs of additional gunmen, as some witnesses had suspected.

Police spent Sunday night searching the shooter's home in nearby Cudahy, a short distance from the temple, April Reyna, who lives around the corner from the shooter's house, said she had said hello to him on one or two occasions and that he seemed pleasant and quiet.

National and state political leaders -- including Gov. Scott Walker -- also offered condolence after the killings, which came two weeks after a massacre at a Colorado movie theater that left 12 dead and dozens more wounded.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney called the slaying "a senseless act of violence and a tragedy that should never befall any house of worship."

And from the White House, President Barack Obama said the United States had been "enriched" by Sikhs, "who are a part of our broader American family."

"My administration will provide whatever support is necessary to the officials who are responding to this tragic shooting and moving forward with an investigation," Obama said.

The Sikh religion originated in northern India around 1500 and has about 25 million followers.

The United States is home to about 700,000 Sikhs, nearly all of Indian origin. The men are easily identifiable by their beards and turbans, a tradition that's lasted for 500 years.

But the attire and appearance have also meant that they are often mistaken for Muslims, and are targets of anti-Islam attacks from those who seek to avenge the September 11 attacks.

The first person murdered in retaliation for the 9/11 attacks was a Sikh - a gas station owner in Mesa, Arizona, named Balbir Singh Sodhi who was shot five times by aircraft mechanic Frank Roque on September 15, 2001.

In the intervening years, the Sikh Coalition, a New York-based advocacy group, reported more than 700 attacks or bias-related incidents.

CNN's Brian Todd, Harmeet Shah Singh, Poppy Harlow, Ed Payne, Ted Rowlands, Marlena Baldacci, Matt Smith, Steve Almasy, Greg Botelho, Shawn Nottingham, Carol Cratty, Susan Candiotti and Deborah Feyerick contributed to this report.

source: http://www.kcci.com/news/national/A...ings/-/9357144/15979114/-/xx73m2/-/index.html

 

[itsmaneet]

It's a terrible thing happened ...... !

My deep condolences to the family of the departed souls.... May Waheguru Bless All !!

 

[Archived_Member16]

VICTIMS' NAMES:

"Police have not released the victims' names, but word has spread in the Sikh communities. Gurpreet Singh of Radio India in Surrey, ( B.C. ) quoting a temple official, is identifying the victims as Santam Singh Kaleka, temple president, brothers Sita Singh and Ranjit Singh, Shawbej Singh, Prakash Singh and Paramjit Kaur." - http://www.montrealgazette.com/news...consin+including+suspected/7044944/story.html

 

[Archived_Member16]

Wade Michael Page Identified As Sikh Temple Shooting Suspect (UPDATE)

Posted: 08/06/2012 8:46 am Updated: 08/06/2012 10:33 am

The Southern Poverty Law Center says that Wade Michael Page, the suspected shooter at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, was a singer in a "skinhead" band called End Apathy

The suspect in the Sikh temple shooting who killed six in Wisconsin on Sunday has been identified as 40-year-old Wade Michael Page.

Authorities told CBS News this morning that Page -- who was also killed in a shootout with cops -- opened fire at a suburban Milwaukee temple, critically wounding three and killing six worshipers during Sunday services.

Page is reportedly a former U.S. Army soldier, once attached to the Fort Bragg Army installation in North Carolina, Fox News reported.

Police and the FBI haven't revealed a possible motive in the Sunday morning rampage that shocked Oak Creek.

A man claiming to be Page's landlord told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel said that he was white and single. The duplex Page rented from Kurt Weins was searched by police on Sunday.

An agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms told ABC News that the shooter had tattoos. The station also cited unnamed sources who alleged that the shooter was possibly a "skin head" or "white supremacist."

Four people were shot dead inside the large temple were members were gathering for mediation at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin. Three, including Page, were killed outside.

UPDATE: Page was the leader of a white supremacist band called End Apathy, and gave an interview to a music website declaring that he wanted to "end people's apathetic ways" and that "I was holding myself back," according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Page said he had been part of the white power movement since 2000.

"The inspiration was based on frustration that we have the potential to accomplish so much more as individuals and a society in whole," he said in the interview with Label 56.

source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/...tml?ir=Canada&utm_hp_ref=canada#slide=1333274

 

[Randip Singh]

Sardar Satwant Singh Kaleka died like a true Sikh lion tackling the gunman!!! Salute to this brave man and his family!!!


http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way...attacked-gunman-died-trying-to-protect-others

At Sikh Temple, Leader Attacked Gunman; Died Trying To Protect Others




by Mark Memmott


Enlarge TMJ4 Satwant Singh Kaleka, in an image broadcast by Milwaukee's TMJ4-TV.


As happened after last month's shooting rampage in Aurora, Colo., we're starting to hear stories of courage and sacrifice about victims of another mass shooting.
This time they're about those who died Sunday at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis., where authorities say a gunman killed six people and injured three others before being stopped by police. The suspect, since said by sources to be named Wade Michael Page, was shot and killed by an officer.
This morning, Amar Deep Kaleka said on Milwaukee's TMJ4-TV that he's been told his father died doing his best "to protect the temple, his family, his wife and all his friends."
Police have told him, Kaleka said, that Satwant Singh Kaleka "attacked the intruder or the shooter in the lobby [of the temple] after gunshots were fired." The elder Kaleka used a knife, authorities have told the son. Blood trails, said Amar Deep Kaleka, indicate that the gunman was "slowed ... enough so that other people could get to safety."
"It's ... exactly who he was," Amar Deep Kaleka said. "There was no way on God's green earth that he would allow" the gunman to attack those at the temple without being challenged.
Satwant Singh Kaleka was the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin's president and one of its founders. He "brought everyone together. He just wanted to make a good temple, a good community," temple member Lahwinder Singh tells Milwaukee's Journal Sentinel.
Also among those killed, according to the newspaper, was Parkash Singh, one of the temple's priests. Those who knew him, writes the Journal Sentinel, say Parkash Singh embodied the last words that end Sikh prayers — "we wish peace and joy to all the people in the world."

 

[Ambarsaria]

Abhorrent, disgusting, uncalled for, inhuman and as the incident was. It is of great pride to see the dignified, respectful, "Chardhi Kalah" that members of the community of Oakcreek, Wisconsin have shown in spite of severe testing of will and goodwill.
Following a list of people who passed away,

Victim Information

• Sita Singh - Male 41
• Ranjit Singh - Male 49
• Satwant Singh Kaleka - Male 65
• Prakash Singh - Male 39
• Paramjit Kaur - Female 41
• Suveg Singh - Male 84

http://www.oakcreekwi.org/index.htm

What a pathetic state of mind of the idiot who felt so brave as to gun down an 84 year old Sikh in the above list. Utter shame!

May God bless all, provide solace and comfort to all left behind.

Sat Sri Akal.