Dr Harcharan Gill, who was at the scene said, "The police response was
quick but the paramedic team waited for almost two hours to go inside the
Gurdwara building, sensing the possibility of of another shooter, which was
not the case. The community is in deep shock, we never thought that this
could have happened with us."
HIGHLIGHTS
As of now, 6 Sikhs and
the gunman have been confirmed dead with multiple wounded (at least 2
dozen).
UNITED SIKHS has
executed the following actions:
Set up a Task Force to
work with law enforcement agencies in the USA to ensure that the Sikh
community is reassured of its safety
Extended our National
Helpline at 1-855-US-UMEED for the Wisconsin Gurdwara incident victims
Called on the Sikh
community to be vigilant and to step up security without causing an alarm
but by being on alert.
Called on the
interfaith community to show solidarity by holding prayer vigils in places
of worship
Mobilized the UNITED
SIKHS Emergency Response Team which is on its way to Wisconsin.
Oak Creek, Wisconsin (CNN) -- The FBI will
investigate Sunday's rampage at a Sikh temple in a Milwaukee suburb as a
"domestic terrorist-type incident" that left at least six people and the
gunman dead, the town's police chief said.
Another three people were wounded, including the first officer to respond to
the scene, Oak Creek Police Chief John Edwards said. A second officer
returned fire, killing the suspect, Edwards said.
All three of the wounded were in critical condition at Milwaukee's Froedtert
Hospital, spokeswoman Carolyn Bellin told CNN. The congregation's president
was among the wounded, his nephew said.
And another man told the station, "Nobody's angry here. We're just confused.
Was this a random act? Was this directed at us because of the way we look?"
Police had no information to release about the gunman, Edwards said. "That
is being checked into and is part of the criminal investigation," he said.
Nor would he disclose specifics of why the attack was being classified as an
act of domestic terrorism.
The Sikh religion originated in northern India around 1500 and has about 25
million followers, 700,000 of them in the United States, according to the
Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund. Because of their customary
beards and turbans, Sikh men are often confused for Hindus or Muslims -- and
have been the targets of hate crimes since the September 11, 2001, attacks
on New York and Washington, said Surinder Singh, a spokesman for the Guru
Nanak Mission Society of Atlanta.
"We were the victims of mistaken identity, and a few Sikhs were gunned down
during that time," Singh said. A Sikh man was killed in Phoenix in apparent
retaliation for the attacks that had been carried out by the Islamic
terrorist group al Qaeda, and Singh said the entire Sikh community "will be
kind of scared" following Sunday's killings.
The 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, said Kanwardeep Singh Kaleka, a member of the
congregation and the nephew of its president.
Kaleka was not at the temple at the time of the shooting, but helped police
interview witnesses in the aftermath. He said members 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."
He said the gunman started shooting in the parking lot, "then entered into
the temple and proceeded to open fire."
"It seems the few casualties that have been divulged to me have been the
equivalent of priests, the holy leaders of our people," he said. "My uncle
is one of the administrators of the temple. It's mainly those individuals
who have been targeted or shot. Maybe it's because the ladies were fortunate
enough to dodge it out, but so far most of the people I've heard have been
shot and killed were all turbaned males."
Police were searching the suspect's home, "a short distance" from the
temple, on Sunday evening, according to a law enforcement source with direct
knowledge of the investigation. A single semi-automatic pistol believed to
have been used by the gunman was found at the scene, along with the wounded
officer's weapon, the source said.
Initial reports were that there may have been multiple attackers, but police
found no indication of another gunman involved, said Bradley Wentlandt, the
police chief in nearby Greenfield.
The Oak Creek temple, or gurdwara, opened in 2007 and has a congregation of
more than 350. Family members gathered outside told WTMJ that survivors were
being taken to a nearby bowling alley for questioning.
"Our dear ones and near ones are injured and hurt, and we are trying to find
out what happened," said Darshan Dhaliwal, another congregation leader.
Congregation president Satwant Kaleka was shot and wounded when he attempted
to tackle the gunman, his son, Amardeep Kaleka told WTMJ. His mother -- who
hid in a closet during the violence -- was too distraught to talk, he said.
State Rep. Josh Zepnick said many of the Milwaukee area's Sikh community are
among his constituents and described himself as being "torn to shreds" by
the attack.
"It's a very peace-loving community that has successfully integrated and
assimilated into the metropolitan Milwaukee area," Zepnick told WTMJ.
And state Rep. Mark Honadel, whose district includes the temple, called the
attack "craziness."
"Unfortunately, when this type of stuff hits your area, you say to yourself,
'Why?' But in today's society, I don't think there's any place that's free
from idiots," Honadel said.
The American branch of the World Sikh Council, meanwhile, said Sunday was "a
troubling day, not only for Sikh-Americans, but also for all Americans."
"We urge all to pray for the victims, their families and friends, and the
surrounding community," the group said. "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."
And top state and national political leaders offered statements of
condolence after the killings, which came two weeks after a massacre at a
Colorado movie theater that left 12 dead and dozens more wounded.
"Our hearts go out to the victims and their families, as we all struggle to
comprehend the evil that begets this terrible violence," Wisconsin Gov.
Scott Walker said in a statement issued by his office. "At the same time, we
are filled with gratitude for our first responders, who show bravery and
selflessness as they put aside their own safety to protect our neighbors and
friends."
In a statement 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.
And from Boston, Obama's presumptive Republican challenger, Mitt Romney,
called the slayings "a senseless act of violence and a tragedy that should
never befall any house of worship." He said the hearts of he and his wife,
Ann, "are with the victims, their families, and the entire Oak Creek Sikh
community."
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Kaleka was not at the temple at the time of the shooting, but helped police
interview witnesses in the aftermath. He said members 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."
ਨਿਊਯਾਰਕ, 5 ਅਗਸਤ (ਏਜੰਸੀਆਂ ਤੇ ਹੁਸਨ ਲੜੋਆ)-ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ਦੇ ਵਿਨਕਾਂਸਿਕ ਪ੍ਰਾਂਤ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਹਿਰ
ਓਕ-ਕ੍ਰੀਕ ਵਿਖੇ ਇਕ ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਵਿਖੇ ਕੁਝ ਅਣਪਛਾਤੇ ਹਮਲਾਵਰਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਅੰਨ੍ਹੇਵਾਹ
ਕੀਤੀ ਗਈ ਗੋਲੀਬਾਰੀ 'ਚ 7 ਵਿਅਕਤੀ ਮਾਰੇ ਗਏ ਜਦਕਿ ਦੋ ਦਰਜ਼ਨ ਤੋਂ ਵਧੇਰੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਜ਼ਖਮੀ
ਹੋਣ ਦੀ ਖ਼ਬਰ ਹੈ। ਮ੍ਰਿਤਕਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਪੰਜ ਸਿੱਖ ਸ਼ਰਧਾਲੂ, ਇਕ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀ ਅਤੇ ਇਕ
ਹਮਲਾਵਰ ਵੀ ਸ਼ਾਮਿਲ ਹੈ। ਪੁਲਿਸ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਚਾਰ ਲਾਸ਼ਾਂ ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ
ਦੇ ਅੰਦਰੋਂ ਮਿਲੀਆਂ ਹਨ, ਜਦਕਿ ਤਿੰਨ ਲਾਸ਼ਾਂ ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦੇ ਬਾਹਰ ਮਿਲੀਆਂ ਹਨ, ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ
ਵਿਚ ਇਕ ਲਾਸ਼ ਹਮਲਾਵਰ ਦੀ ਹੈ।