Shooting At Wisconsin Sikh Temple (Gurdwara)

[S1ngh 2,108]

Wisconsin Sikh Temple president killed after trying to fight off attacker

One victim was confirmed as the temple’s president, 65-year-old Satwant Singh Kaleka who died as he tried to ‘knife and tackle’ the shooter. The other was Parkash Singh, a priest in his thirties, and a married father-of-two.

Let us all pray for Gurdwara (temple) Granthi Sahib(Priest), Punjab Singh (Father of Raghvinder Singh) who has been critically injured in Wisconsin Sikh Temple Shooting. We also pray for the families of all the victims and and it will not a lot for us to get over this and those whose lives were not spared we pray for thier soul and those who are left behind need our support and courage to deal with all this.

Source: Dr. Harkesh Sandhu, California

My Father Baba Punjab Singh is Priest there in Oak, Wiscosin , I am not able to contact him and any other Gurudwara authorities, pls can you provide any contact number for more info urgently, I am from India – 91-9210431972 – Raghvinder Singh

[JagtarSinghKhalsa 229]

Shooting at the Sikh Gurdwara of Wisconsin in Oak Creek near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA - Sikh Federation (UK) statement

The Sikh Federation (UK) which is in the process of setting up chapters across the globe has expressed its shock by the senseless and tragic shooting which has occurred at the Sikh Gurdwara of Wisconsin in Oak Creek near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.

The shooting has resulted in seven deaths, including the assailant, and several seriously injured. Six Sikhs are confirmed dead: one Kathavachak (spiritual discourse giver), two sewadars (helpers) at the Gurdwara (place of worship), one woman, one elderly gentleman, and the identity of the sixth victim is not yet known.

Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) said:

‘Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this shooting, the Sikh community of Wisconsin, and the larger Sikh community across the USA. We offer our condolences and urge all to pray for the victims, their families and friends, and the surrounding community.

We strongly condemn the shooting of innocent Sikhs during a weekly congregation while the reading of the Sikh scriptures was in progress.’

Whilst the circumstances surrounding the shooting are emerging the police have referred to the incident as one of ‘domestic terrorism’. Reports suggest that the perpetrator was a heavy build, bald, white male who had at least two handguns.

President Obama has offered his condolences to the victims and said in a written statement: "As we mourn this loss which took place at a house of worship, we are reminded how much our country has been enriched by Sikhs, who are a part of our broader American family,"

Bhai Amrik Singh continued:

‘This act of terror has left the whole community in shock and is very disturbing for Sikhs worldwide. We also express our gratitude towards the police officers who confronted the shooter and offer our appreciation for the bravery of the veteran police officer shot multiple times and pray that he will recover fully soon.

This is a troubling day, not only for Sikhs in the USA, but Sikhs across the globe. However, Sikh organisations in the USA should work with the US Government and use this incident of hate crime that is receiving worldwide attention as a spring board to create greater awareness about Sikhs in the wider community so the idea of ‘mistaken identity’ can be firmly put to rest.’

[dalsingh101 413]

My heart goes out to the sangat of Winconsin. My thoughts are also with the wider US sangat. Stay strong brothers and sisters.

[Mehtab Singh 3,918]

Sache Patshah kirpa karan! We have a candle light vigil at our Gurughar tonight. Make sure you guys do the same, thats the least we can do...for now...

[Hazoor 29]

Being discussed on BBC Asian Network now.

[singher23 146]

The shooters name was Wade Michael Page, an ex-Army man who was 40 years old who had ties to a white supremacy group.

[Sheehan 0]

Certainly this <bleep> didn't know the difference between Sikhs and Muslims, but again, remember that 99.9999 percent of Muslims are law-abiding citizens, and it's the very minute that have taken Muslim and used it to funnel their terroristic beliefs, so they shouldn't be attacked either at Mosques, and I'm glad Dr. Singh on CNN re-affirmed this last night with Don Lemon.

I for one am all for increased security at Gurdwaras... we need to make sure this never happens again.

I think the only good thing, if there is such a thing, that will come out of this is the fact that it will show mainstream USA (and Canada) that SIkhs have been wrongfully targeted after 9-11, and sadly, it has taken a mass shooting like this to bring out this fact. Before it was 1 or 2 victims being inncocently shot here and there, and because this is on a larger scope, the world is finally learning things.

[singher23 146]

Request to mods to change the title to "shooting at Wisconsin Gurdwara (Sikh temple)"

Please call it what it is

[Sherdil 352]

Everybody wants to know about Sikhism now. My professor is gonna organize a multicultural day at my college. He wants the Sikh students to wear dastaars.

[Nalwa 121]

We need our own militia to defend our people, we should stop trusting governments specially Christian fanatics states like USA , Russia and Australia. All gurdwaras should set up thier defence force.

[HKaur16 211]

Pictured: Shooter who gunned down six at Sikh temple who was vocal member of Nazi punk band and was kicked out of the army

Shooter named as Wade Michael Page

Worked in psychological operations in Fort Bliss and Fort Bragg

Was previously a missile repair man

Was kicked out of the army in 1998

Alleged to have broken up with girlfriend Misty - who was student at University of Milwaukee and has an autistic son

Was killed by police officer after he shot six people at Sikh temple

Victims include temple president Satwant Kaleka, 65, who tried to stop him

Priest Parkash Singh, in his thirties, also killed

Lt Brian Murphy in hospital after being ambushed helping a victim

Three victims in hospital with life-threatening injuries

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2184038/Wisconsin-Sikh-temple-shooting-Oak-Creek-gunman-Wade-Michael-Page-pictured.html#ixzz22moQALqU

[hawk13 11]

time to follow guru's hukam in spirit not just in letter

besides kirpanwe need to arm ourselves with modern weapons ie guns and be proficient at using them and also taking cover/guard etc

When guru sahib ordered us to be tyar bar tyar his dictum was to have the best possible weapon , if gurus existed today - a handgun will be a kakar instead of a kirpaan..

anyways kirpaans that most people wear are just tokens , you cant even cut an onion with those

Please do not demean the kakar each shaster is valuable my 9 inch kirpan can. divide a solid grill into 2 parts it is lack of fighting spirit which resulted in wearing of blunt kirpans we call ourselves liberal and created good professionals but forgot the solider like featues result was 1984and fake encounters of sikhs if we convert our fold the khalsa into true milatary form then we will be able to save ourselves.

[chatanga 1,058]

Everybody wants to know about Sikhism now. My professor is gonna organize a multicultural day at my college. He wants the Sikh students to wear dastaars.

Unfortunately it takes events like this, for people to open their eyes, and ask" who were they?" . Since 9/11 there has been an tremendous upsurge into the study of Islam by americans, which is borne outr by bookshops and islamic charities saying they had run out of korans to sell etc.

Maybe now americans will open their eyes to what Sikhs are, and how for 11 years, we have been on the wrong end of mistaken violence and intimidation. If this is the bhana of Sri Akal, to take these guys lives, for the betterment of the Sikh community in USA, then the whole Sikh community in the USA, nay the world should remember these 6 Sikhs daily.

[gsinghysingh 12]

Fateh

Bless the people who passed away and the people who have to deal with the ordeal after but.....this was hukam.

Have always wanted to take amrit and live a gurmukh lifestyle but always made excuses due to the fact i thing im going to live till im 100. This is a good lesson for all of us in so many ways.

When i heard the news i surprised myself because i wasnt saddened and i wasnt hurt. I realised this just like gurbani says is one big play by akal. My friend kept saying to me why has this happened, omg this is so sad..i didnt say anything to him but i thought to my self, your ego has the best off you, this is hukam and his play, let go you will die weather its peacefull or horrific.

Meditate and be set free, reading jaapi sahib today made sense off all this.

P.s the gun laws in the US are ridiculous beyond a joke, it wont stop though to much money to be made.

Waheguru

[imhosingh 185]

My initial thoughts on this go along with gsinghy. This is the way it was meant to be. The shame is that there is enough anger in a person to perpetrate such an act. There will always be crazy people and if it was not this group of people who died it would have been another, thats the sad reality of it.

Standing out is part and parcel of being a Sikh (in good times and in harder times). However this should reaffirm our/your faith in waheguru, in that all that happens is by waheguru's hukum.

I have been however blessed to have read/seen many accounts of 'non-sikhs' praising sikhs for being righteous and decent people. This would have come from their experiences of sikhs, So for me personally this incident has reaffirmed in me how important it is to be a 'ambassador' for sikhism in all that I do.