Hundreds gather for Sikh temple shooting memorial
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By DINESH RAMDE, Associated Press
OAK CREEK, Wis. (AP) — Hundreds of people streamed into a Wisconsin high school Friday to pay their final respects to six worshippers gunned down by a white supremacist at a Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee.
Somber, tearful mourners, most wearing scarves on their heads in the Sikh tradition, greeted victims' family members with hugs at the Oak Creek High School gymnasium. Six open caskets were arranged inside the gymnasium, with flowers adorning the bodies. A large video screen flashed photos of those killed and injured.
Mourners took their seats as Sikh singers sang hymns in Punjabi, an Indian dialect. One of the singers paused to translate some lyrics into English.
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"Dear God, you have given me this body and this soul. This body is doing whatever you want me to do. You take this soul, this is your soul," he said.
Gov. Scott Walker addressed the crowd, telling mourners the Sikh community has shown others that the best way to respond to hate is with love.
"Today we mourn with you, we pray with you, we support you," Walker said.
Several dozen police officers stood by in the gym, watching the service.
The wake and visitation, initially scheduled to last for two hours, was extended by another two to accommodate mourners who traveled from abroad and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder as a last-minute speaker. Other dignitaries expected to attend include Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan.
After the service, mourners planned to return to the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin where the six died and three others were critically wounded Sunday morning. There, priests will read the Sikh holy book from cover to cover in a traditional rite honoring the dead called "Akhand Path." That process takes 48 hours.
"We want to pay homage to the spirits who are still in there," said Harpreet Singh, a nephew of one of the victims.
Earlier Friday, about two dozen worshippers milled around the temple, where blood-stained carpet had been replaced and some walls had been freshly painted by members allowed inside the day before.
One bullet hole in a door jamb leading to the main prayer hall was left unrepaired as a memorial to the shooting victims.
Kuldeep Chahal, 35, a Sikh teacher from Toronto, arrived at the temple Friday with several other people after driving for 12 hours. Chahal brought banners and cards that temple members in Canada had signed for families of the victims.
"The reason we came down is because we definitely what to show the community how much we support them," Chahal said.
Federal investigators may never know why 40-year-old Wade Michael Page chose to attack strangers in a holy place. What they do know is that the Army veteran opened fire with a 9 mm pistol at the temple, shortly before Sunday services were due to begin.
Page killed five men and one woman, and injured two other men. Authorities say he then ambushed the first police officer who responded, shooting him nine times and leaving him in critical condition. A second officer then shot Page in the stomach, and Page took his own life with a shot to the head.
The officer who was injured, Oak Creek Police Lt. Brian Murphy, was upgraded Thursday to satisfactory condition.
The dead included Satwant Singh Kaleka, 65, the temple president who was shot as he tried to fend off Page with a butter knife.
The other victims included:
- Ranjit Singh, 49, and his 41-year-old brother, Sita Singh, two priests whose families were back in India and whose lives in America revolved around their faith;
- Suveg Singh Khattra, 84, a former farmer in India who was a constant presence at the temple;
- Prakash Singh, 39, a priest who was remembered as a fun-loving personality who enjoyed telling jokes; and
- Paramjit Kaur, 41 who worked 66 hours a week to provide for her family, but also found time to pray every day for at least an hour.
The FBI roped off the temple for four days while agents conducted their investigation. They handed the keys back to Sikh leaders Thursday morning.
