The gunman responsible for killing 6 people and wounding 3 others at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin on Sunday has been identified by law enforcement sources as 40-year-old Wade Michael Page, a U.S. Army veteran who served for 6 years before being discharged in 1998. Page reportedly had connections with white supremacists.
Page opened fire in the parking lot of the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin before shooting worshipers inside the building. The dead included 1 woman and 5 men ranging in age from 39 to 84. Authorities have not officially released the names of the deceased, but reports say the president of the temple, Satwant Kaleka, is among the dead.
Kaleka’s nephew, Kanwardeep Singh Kaleka, said his uncle died trying to stop the shooting. "From what we understand, he basically fought to the very end and suffered gunshot wounds while trying to take down the gunman," he said Monday. "He was a protector of his own people, just an incredible individual who showed his love and passion for our people, our faith, to the end.”
Page was shot and killed at the scene by a police officer. The three wounded victims are in critical condition at Froedtert Hospital.
Sikhism was founded over 500 years ago in India. India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is a Sikh, called the shooting a “senseless act of violence.” "India stands in solidarity with all the peace-loving Americans who have condemned this violence,” he said.
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