WI - Six killed, 4 injured in Sikh temple shooting, Oak Creek, 5 Aug 2012

[katydid23]

I don't know about "at the top of their hit list," but I do know that persons of color are targeted here by those groups.

I don't think that was the reason, --skin color. There are literally thousands of people with much darker skin color all over the area. And if that was it, a hate crime because of skin color, why didn't he wildly aim for everyone he saw. He seemed to hit the adult males only, and selectively so.

The right wing hate groups here put Muslims and Urban Blacks at the top of their hate list. I don't think Sikhs are a big target.

 

[wfgodot]

---
Kurt Weins said he rented the upper flat of the duplex authorities were searching to a single man in his 40s about month ago.

Weins said he had just been interviewed by law enforcement authorities and said he was uncomfortable providing much detail. However, he said, he was surprised by the attention his tenant has attracted.

"I had him checked out and he definitely checked out," Weins said. "The cops told me they don't want me to say nothing right now."
---

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

 

[katydid23]

No, we haven't deployed the military to India. Also, we don't know when this perp was in the military or for how long -- or, really, even if he really was ever in the military. One thing that occurs to me, though, is that when we say, "Sikhs aren't Muslims," we're practically saying that it would be more okay to kill Muslims than Sikhs. I'm sure nobody believes that.

I am certainly NOT saying it would be OK. I was just saying that in response to his 9/11 tattoo, reportedly, and if so, he MIGHT have some issues with Muslims. I just wondered if he was a first responder and had PTSD perhaps.

 

[katydid23]

No, we haven't deployed the military to India. Also, we don't know when this perp was in the military or for how long -- or, really, even if he really was ever in the military. One thing that occurs to me, though, is that when we say, "Sikhs aren't Muslims," we're practically saying that it would be more okay to kill Muslims than Sikhs. I'm sure nobody believes that.

I did find some articles stating that we had a lot of ongoing ' joint military' training with the Indian Army. And there was a few articles saying that some Sikh serviceman are suing the US Army wanting to be able to wear their turbans in the army. So I wondered if this guy had some issues with that perhaps?

 

[STEADFAST]

I find this piece of information very interesting. Did the guman know to distinguish who are the "priests"? Do Sikh priests wear different coloured attire, perhaps?

Thanks for all the updates! Was away for most of the day and I'm just learning about this horrific crime now.

Wow, I was just thinking the same thing about the priests, n/t. All I can find is that the elder and more spiritual people are more likely to wear white than others. Many of them, not just spiritual leaders wear turbans.

In addition, the people from high class used to wear turban and many high status individuals still wear turban. The high class turban wearing individuals were called Sardars (leaders). This segregated people from high and low classes. So in order to eliminate the class system associated with turban, Guru Gobind Singh Ji made each and every Sikh a Sardar. He also rejected class system by giving all Sikh the last name Singh and Kaur. http://www.realsikhism.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1248365083&ucat=7

It might be that the leaders just happened to be in more visible places at the time, as opposed to many women being in the kitchens, etc. I don't know what the inside of a Sikh temple looks like.

But, on the other hand, maybe he did target the leaders. Combined with the fact that he apparently very recently moved to the area from out of state opens up the possibility that maybe he was hired? Had a particular grudge? I don't know. . .

 

[~n/t~]

NEW YORK — The killing of six worshippers at a Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee brought fresh worries Sunday to the half million U.S. followers of a faith whose congregants have worried about their safety since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when some began targeting adherents of a peaceful religion that stresses the equality of people.

While police have not identified the gunman, who was killed by police, or described a possible motive for the Wisconsin shootings, several leaders of Sikh organizations nationwide say the killings have brought to the surface fears that have lingered since 9/11 when some ignorant about their beliefs began mistaking them for potential terrorists.

"This is something we have been fearing since 9/11, that this kind of incident will take place," said Rajwant Singh, chairman of the Washington-based Sikh Council on Religion and Education. "It was a matter of time because there's so much ignorance and people confuse us (as) being members of Taliban or belonging to (Osama) bin Laden."

http://online.wsj.com/article/APac78205f612a43ed896fa1410ae39afc.html

 

[STEADFAST]

I did find some articles stating that we had a lot of ongoing ' joint military' training with the Indian Army. And there was a few articles saying that some Sikh serviceman are suing the US Army wanting to be able to wear their turbans in the army. So I wondered if this guy had some issues with that perhaps?

The Army and the Sikhs have ironed out a way for the Sikhs to serve. Now there's a slightly modified uniform head-gear for them. http://www.army.mil/article/36339/sikh-soldiers-allowed-to-serve-retain-their-articles-of-faith/ We do joint military training with practically every country on the globe.

My husband was deployed on a Navy ship a while back, and the captain was a woman of Indian heritage. They had a port stop in India, and it was huge news there because we'd never stopped there before.

 

[wfgodot]

---
Among those who were shot and killed was the president of the temple, Satwant Kaleka, his family said. There were earlier reports he was taken to Froedtert Hospital. Kaleka's family said he died at the scene after attempting to tackle the shooter.

Gurmit Kaleka, a nephew of Satwant Kaleka, said Satwant is 65 years old. He is married with two grown sons. One is a former MPD officer. Satwant Kaleka has been president of the church since about 1996. He has never felt threatened or unsafe in any way, Gurmit Kaleka said.

Deepinder Dhaliwal said Satwant Kaleka, his brother in law, was shot in the back.
---

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

 

[~n/t~]

Wow, I was just thinking the same thing about the priests, n/t. All I can find is that the elder and more spiritual people are more likely to wear white than others. Many of them, not just spiritual leaders wear turbans.

It might be that the leaders just happened to be in more visible places at the time, as opposed to many women being in the kitchens, etc. I don't know what the inside of a Sikh temple looks like.

But, on the other hand, maybe he did target the leaders. Combined with the fact that he apparently very recently moved to the area from out of state opens up the possibility that maybe he was hired? Had a particular grudge? I don't know. . .

IF he had 9/11 tattooed, I have a feeling this guy wanted to target Muslims.

Osama Bin Laden wore a turban and had a long beard.

 

[STEADFAST]

IF he had 9/11 tattooed, I have a feeling this guy wanted to target Muslims.

Osama Bin Laden wore a turban and had a long beard.

That's what I think, too. I think he saw people with turbans going into a place of worship and decided to kill them. However, I'm often wrong about stuff!

 

[Kimberlyd125]

Federal law enforcement officials told NBC News the suspected gunman had no obvious connection to domestic terror or white supremacist groups and apparently was not on any list of suspected terrorists. The suspect was in his early 40s, and while he had an arrest record, it was for minor offenses, one federal official said.




A law enforcement official told NBC News the gunman was dressed in a white T-shirt and black tactical-style pants, which had several pockets for holding ammunition magazines. He was armed with a single handgun, the official said. His name was not released but police say they have a tentative ID and were searching his home.



Officials told NBC News the suspect, who served in the U.S. Army, had many tattoos. The suspect had some kind of radical or white supremacist views but, as far as officials said they had heard, he was not in any kind of radical organization. His previous run-ins with law enforcement involved traffic offenses, they said.



http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...-fire-at-sikh-temple-in-wisconsin-7-dead?lite

 

[~n/t~]

Considered one of British Columbia’s largest locations for Sikh worship, the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara boasts a membership of more than 32,000 members.

“There is a history of attacks on Sikhs in the past, but to this scale it is surprising to anyone,” Virk said.

Though incidents of violence against Surrey Sikhs have been rare, the Wisconsin tragedy brings back painful memories for many.

In 1999, Singh Gill, a caretaker at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara was brutally beaten to death in the temple’s parking lot. Five people reportedly plead guilty to manslaughter and were jailed in connection with the racially motivated hate crime.

Hate crimes against Sikhs escalated after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks; something Virk believes stems from misinformation and a lack of understanding about the difference between the Muslim and Sikh religions.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Metro+Vancouver+Sikhs+shocked+Wisconsin+shooting/7045401/story.html

It appears to be a motive not only in the US but Canada as well.

 

[katydid23]

IF he had 9/11 tattooed, I have a feeling this guy wanted to target Muslims.

Osama Bin Laden wore a turban and had a long beard.

True. But if he really was in the Army, then I think he would know the difference between turbans worn by the Sikhs and their Temple, as opposed to a mosque and Muslims. JMO

 

[Kimberlyd125]

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...-fire-at-sikh-temple-in-wisconsin-7-dead?lite

A few details did emerge about the man whose Cudahy duplex apartment was searched by police hours after the shooting. He was described as white, single, in his 40s and an Army veteran.

 

[~n/t~]

The designation of “domestic terrorism” under the FBI’s rubric — which was not applied to the Aurora, Colo., theater shooting — implies a political agenda. The FBI defines terrorism as “the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.”

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/...e-domestic-terrorism-20120805,0,6094643.story

 

[STEADFAST]

I am certainly NOT saying it would be OK. I was just saying that in response to his 9/11 tattoo, reportedly, and if so, he MIGHT have some issues with Muslims. I just wondered if he was a first responder and had PTSD perhaps.

I was referring to my own posts that have noted he might have thought they were Muslims. I agree with you on this.

 

[STEADFAST]

True. But if he really was in the Army, then I think he would know the difference between turbans worn by the Sikhs and their Temple, as opposed to a mosque and Muslims. JMO

Maybe he wasn't in the Army during one of our middle-east wars. I don't think he was in recently because he would not be allowed to have any tattoos that implied white supremacy, even barely hinting at it.

 

[pdxmama]

True. But if he really was in the Army, then I think he would know the difference between turbans worn by the Sikhs and their Temple, as opposed to a mosque and Muslims. JMO

I think that depends on where he was stationed and the type of training he had.

 

[pdxmama]

Federal law enforcement officials told NBC News the suspected gunman had no obvious connection to domestic terror or white supremacist groups and apparently was not on any list of suspected terrorists. The suspect was in his early 40s, and while he had an arrest record, it was for minor offenses, one federal official said.




BBM - A law enforcement official told NBC News the gunman was dressed in a white T-shirt and black tactical-style pants, which had several pockets for holding ammunition magazines. He was armed with a single handgun, the official said. His name was not released but police say they have a tentative ID and were searching his home.



Officials told NBC News the suspect, who served in the U.S. Army, had many tattoos. The suspect had some kind of radical or white supremacist views but, as far as officials said they had heard, he was not in any kind of radical organization. His previous run-ins with law enforcement involved traffic offenses, they said.



http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...-fire-at-sikh-temple-in-wisconsin-7-dead?lite

Interesting. I think a loner white supremacist is just as scary as a white supremacist who is part of a group. That doesn't really convince me this isn't motivated by race or religion.

 

[wfgodot]

FBI reiterated its stance:

The shooting at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek that left seven people dead, including the shooter, is being looked at as a possible domestic terrorism incident but no motive has been determined, FBI officials said Sunday night.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel