Wisconsin Hate Attack (05 August 2012): Difference between revisions

Wisconsin Sikh Gurdwara Massacre
On August 5, 2012, a mass shooting took place at a Sikh temple or Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, with a single gunman killing six people and wounding four others.^[1][2] The gunman, Wade Michael Page, a white supremacist, shot several people of the Sikh faith at the temple, and also a responding police officer. After being shot in the stomach by another officer, Page fatally shot himself in the head.

The incident drew notable reactions from President Barack Obama and leaders around the world, and dignitaries attended candlelight vigils in countries around the world as well.^{[1] [3] [4]} First Lady Michelle Obama visited the temple on August 23, 2012.^[5]

Incident

Following emergency calls around 10:25 a.m., police responded to a shooting at the "Sikh Temple of Wisconsin," a Sikh gurdwara located in Oak Creek Wisconsin. Upon arrival, they engaged the gunman, later identified as Wade Michael Page, who had shot several people at the temple, killing six. Page wounded one officer, then was shot in the stomach by another; he then fatally shot himself in the head. He was armed with a XD(M) 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol.^[6][7] The gun was legally purchaced by Page in Wisconsin.^[6] Four people were killed inside the temple, and three people, including Page, died outside. Page killed five men and one woman, ranging in age from 39 to 84.^[7] Three men were transported to Froedtert Hospital, including one of the responding officers.^{[8][9][10][11]}

Initial reports said the gunman had died from being shot by police officers at the scene, but the FBI later clarified that Page, after being shot by an officer, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.^[12][13]

Authorities released an audio recording of the incident, made while the first responding officer, Lieutenant Brian Murphy, was shot by the gunman. It contained the words "I have someone walking out the driveway towards me. Man with a gun, white t-shirt", followed by the sound of gunfire.^[14] In September 2012, authorities released video recordings taken by squad cars during the incident, including the moments when Murphy was shot, and the gunman being shot by another officer.^[15] Murphy was shot fifteen times by Page, but survived.^[16]

The Gurdwara was preparing langar, a Sikh communal meal, for later in the day.^[7] Witnesses suggested that women and children would have been at the Gurdwara preparing for the meal at the time of the incident, as children’s classes were scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m.^[17][18]

The Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the site, and police were treating the incident as an act of domestic terrorism.^[19] Oak Creek police handed the investigation over to the FBI.^[20] They were also investigating possible ties to white supremacist groups and other racial motivations.^{[21][22][23][24]} The FBI said there was no reason to think anyone else was involved in the attack, and they were not aware of any past threat made against the temple.^[25] US Attorney General Eric Holder described the incident as "an act of terrorism, an act of hatred, a hate crime."^[26]

Victims

The six victims killed^[27] included five men: Satwant Singh Kaleka, 65, the founder of the Gurdwara; Prakash Singh, 39, an assistant priest; Sita Singh, 41; Ranjit Singh, 49; and Suveg Singh, 84; and one woman: Paramjit Kaur, 41.^[7][28][29] All of the male victims wore turbans as part of their Sikh faith. ^{[30] [31]} Four of the victims were Indian nationals, while the rest were Americans. ^[32] The injured included responding officer Lt. Brian Murphy,^[33] who was shot fifteen times at close range, including one time in the neck.^[29] He was discharged from the hospital on August 22, 2012.^[34] Sikhs for Justice, a New York-based group, pledged a $10,000 award to Murphy.^[33] Another $100,000 was donated by two residents of Yuba City to officer Murphy for his heroic act and bravery.^[35]

Perpetrator

Wade Michael Page, born on November 11, 1971,^[36] was living in Cudahy, Wisconsin, and was originally from Colorado. He worked for the U.S. Army from April 1992 through October 1998,^[37][38] when he received an involuntary discharge.^[21] Page was initially a repairman for the Hawk missile system, before becoming a psychological operations specialist.^[21][39] He was demoted and received a general discharge^[21] for "patterns of misconduct," including being drunk while on duty and going AWOL.^[9][10][39] After his discharge, Page returned to Colorado, living in the Denver suburb of Littleton from 2000 through 2007.^[40] Page worked as a truck driver from 2006 to 2010, but was fired after receiving a citation for impaired driving.^[41][42]

Page had ties to white supremacy and neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi groups, reportedly being a member of the Hammerskins.^[22] He entered the white power music scene in 2000, becoming involved in several neo-Nazi bands.^[43] He founded the band End Apathy in 2005 and played in the band Definite Hate, both considered racist white-power bands by the Southern Poverty Law Center.^[21][32]

Page's former step-mother apologized to the Sikh victims^[44] and said she had not been in touch with her stepson for the past twelve years, after divorcing his father.^[21][45] A former friend described him as a "loner" and said he had talked about an "impending racial holy war".^[46] According to his neighbors, Page lived alone, rarely left his apartment, and avoided eye contact with them.^[47]

Page legally purchased the handgun used in the shooting on July 28, 2012 at a gun shop in West Allis, Wisconsin. Page passed the background checks required, and paid cash for the gun, along with three 19-round magazines. The owner of the gun shop said that Page's appearance and demeanor in the shop "raised no eyebrows whatsoever".^[48]

Following the shooting, photographs of Page appeared in media reports showing him with a range of tattoos on his arms and upper body, which were said to show his links to white supremacist organizations.^[49]

Oak Creek Police Chief John Edwards declined to speculate on the motive behind the attack, saying "I don't know why, and I don't know that we'll ever know, because when he died, that died with him what his motive was or what he was thinking."^[50]

Reactions

President Barack Obama offered his condolences, calling the Sikh community "a part of our broader American family",^[51] and ordered flags at federal buildings flown at half-staff until August 10 to honor the victims.^[52][53] Obama called for "soul searching" on how to reduce violence.^[54] Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and other officials also issued statements of sympathy for the victims of the shooting and their families.^[55][56] Following the incident, there were vigils and protests by Sikhs in India.^[57][58] Many Sikh Americans though, did not approve of the protests in India, and strongly condemned the actions taken by the protesters. ^{[59] [60] [61]}

U.S.-based Sikh community groups pledged assistance to the victims and their families, and urged Sikh-Americans to organize interfaith vigils.^[62] Candlelight vigils were held, with dignitaries such as Governor Walker attending.^[63][64] Congressman Paul Ryan also introduced a bill in Congress condemning the tragedy which stated the House "condemns the senseless attack." ^[65] On September 19, 2012, there was a Congressional hearing addressing hate crimes in response to the tragedy, before the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights convened by Senator Dick Durbin. ^[66][67]

External links

• Sikh Temple of Wisconsin official site
• Relatives Speak of Those Killed in Temple Shooting
• Timeline of As It Happened
• Gallery of images from the scene of the shooting BBC News, August 6, 2012.
• Oak Creek Gurdwara Memorial & Remembrance materials in the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA)
• America Wisconsin Sikh community 'hurt, angry' by shooting

• 6 Killed 3 Wounded

• USA Winsconsin Shooting