Another shooting.

[arnold layne]

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, according to the chief.

All three wounded -- one of whom was shot in the abdomen and chest, another in the extremities and face and the third in the neck -- were in critical condition Sunday night at Milwaukee's Froedtert Hospital, the hospital said in a statement.

Terror, tragedy for tight-knit Sikh community

The congregation's president was among the wounded, his nephew said.

Emergency calls in temple shooting Gunman opens fire in Sikh temple Police at scene of Sikh temple shooting Temple member describes shooting

And another man told the CNN affiliate WTMJ, "Nobody's angry here. We're just confused. Was this a random act? Was this directed at us because of the way we look?"

Authorities have not identified the gunman by name, though Thomas Ahern, a spokesman with the ATF's Chicago division, described him as a white male roughly 40 years of age. No connection has been established between the shooter and the temple, he added.

Like other officials, Ahern said authorities have not determined a motive, adding "we are a long way away from that right now." Teresa Carlson, special agent in charge at the FBI's Milwaukee division, said late Sunday that investigators are still assessing whether this "might be an act of domestic terrorism, no motive has been determined at this time."

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.

Sikhs tout equality, service to others

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.

Several Sikh leaders and members recalled Sunday the killing of a Sikh man in Arizona in apparent retaliation for the attacks that had been carried out days earlier by the Islamic terrorist group al Qaeda, as well as other less severe crimes targeting the group over the past decade.

Community continue to blend in and stand out

"There's always an apprehension and a sense of fear that this kind of incident will take place anywhere, anytime," said Rajwant Singh, chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education.

Sunday's 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."

A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation confirmed the shooter was wearing a white T-shirt and did not have a bulletproof vest.

Witnesses: This is sad, devastating Temple spokesman: Hostages held inside Police at scene of Sikh temple shooting

Kaleka 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 searched 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 9mm 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, 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 so they could be interviewed by police.

"Our dear ones and near ones are injured and hurt, and we are trying to find out what happened," said Darshan Dhaliwal, a 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 members 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."

Sikhs in U.S. and India react to the rampage

"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."

National and state political leaders -- including Gov. Scott Walker -- also offered condolence after the killings, which came two weeks after a massacre at a Colorado movie theater that left 12 dead and dozens more wounded.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney called the slaying "a senseless act of violence and a tragedy that should never befall any house of worship."

And 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.

Rajwant Singh, from the Sikh Council on Religion and Education, put the onus on politicians, the media, academics and non-profit leaders to educate Americans about diverse groups and act "to lessen this kind of rage." He called it a tragedy Sikhs, growing up in the United States feel as if they don't belong in this country after incidents such as this.

"Everybody should feel at home," he said. "This nation belongs to everyone."

Goodbye second amendment.

[bran]

weird how no one reported the 9 people stabbed to death last week

[Johnny Drama]

weird how no one reported the 9 people stabbed to death last week

You can't ban knives.

[Guest Gunns]

weird how no one reported the 9 people stabbed to death last week

make a thread for it then

[bran]

weird how no one reported the 9 people stabbed to death last week

make a thread for it then

no one cares because its not as attention grabbing or politically provacative as a psycho shooting people

[Guest Len B'stard]

What i don't get is, why kill Sikhs for things muslims have done? I shouldn't laugh, thats terrible but i'm laughing at the stupidity of attackers in these cases, it's like having a go at a buddhist temple cuz they Christian league have locked arms outside the abortion clinic. Dumb. And sad.

[bran]

Fucking awful. Is this a fad? Please?

it happens everyday around the world just it gets splashed all over the internet and us news because of the politics involved

[Guest Len B'stard]

Watched how splashed over the news this one ain't gonna be

[bran]

What i don't get is, why kill Sikhs for things muslims have done? I shouldn't laugh, thats terrible but i'm laughing at the stupidity of attackers in these cases, it's like having a go at a buddhist temple cuz they Christian league have locked arms outside the abortion clinic. Dumb. And sad.

they are seeing if their is supposed ties to skinheads. they are not the sharpest knives in the drawer

[Dazey]

weird how no one reported the 9 people stabbed to death last week

By the same guy?

[bran]

weird how no one reported the 9 people stabbed to death last week

By the same guy?

yes in china a 17 year old went to his girlfriends house after an arguement stabbed her to death stabbed her parents to death, went outside the house and stabbed 6 more 5 died on the scene 1 later died in the hospital

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/world/teen-stabs-nine-people-to-death/story-fnd14032-1226441838914

[Dazey]

weird how no one reported the 9 people stabbed to death last week

By the same guy?

yes in china a 17 year old went to his girlfriends house after an arguement stabbed her to death stabbed her parents to death, went outside the house and stabbed 6 more 5 died on the scene 1 later died in the hospital

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/world/teen-stabs-nine-people-to-death/story-fnd14032-1226441838914

Ah yeah I did hear about that but I think the lack of reporting on that incident had rather more to do with the American media typically not giving two shits about non US news stories than the nature of the crime itself.

[bran]

weird how no one reported the 9 people stabbed to death last week

By the same guy?

yes in china a 17 year old went to his girlfriends house after an arguement stabbed her to death stabbed her parents to death, went outside the house and stabbed 6 more 5 died on the scene 1 later died in the hospital

http://www.perthnow....2-1226441838914

Ah yeah I did hear about that but I think the lack of reporting on that incident had rather more to do with the American media typically not giving two shits about non US news stories than the nature of the crime itself.

i think that is true in some ways but that shooting that happend in norway was all over the news for weeks after it happend. if this chinese guy shot 9 people it would have been all over the place IMO

[Dazey]

i think that is true in some ways but that shooting that happend in norway was all over the news for weeks after it happend. if this chinese guy shot 9 people it would have been all over the place IMO

Well you've got a point there but that Norwegian fella had a slightly higher batting average than most so there was no way anybody could really ignore him.

[Guest Len B'stard]

I'm suprised they don't retaliate, the local Sikhs i mean. I can't actually say for sure cuz i ain't been nowhere but i get the feeling foreigners in America more readily like...they sort of keep a low profile, y'know, try not to give it large too much.

[Guest Gunns]

Ironically enough, the Sikh religion was founded on killings and bloodshed.

My thoughts are with the victims families

[Guest Len B'stard]

Ironically enough, the Sikh religion was founded on killings and bloodshed.

Yes of course, that brutal tyrant Guru Nanak

[bran]

well the killer was a skinhead pure scum they are anyways glad he is dead

[Nobodys_Fault]

Ironically enough, the Sikh religion was founded on killings and bloodshed.

How? Sikh's didn't engage in any violence until the 17th century and even then it was to protect people, regardless of their religion or race, from Muslim rule. Throughout history their warriors have pretty much been these badass protectors. (eg - The Battle of Saragarhi.)

The philosophy of the religion itself is a noble and admirable one in comparison to the other so called "revealed" religions. A Sikh must "defend the rights of all who are wrongfully oppressed or persecuted irrespective of religion, colour, caste or creed." They don't pretend they worship the correct God and fully acknowledge that a full understanding of God is beyond human beings. At the end of the day though, they are a religion and a by-product of religion is silly rituals and murderous extremists... Air India Flight 182 probably being the most high profile example.

[Ketan]

The post above me said everything i thought i should say but didnt.

the sikh Army Of God was meant to protect every faith... the reason they targeted the muslims (as opposed to protecting them as well)was because in those times the Muslim rule in India had become extremist under the fundamentalist emperor Arungzeb. He was forcing his own non-muslim countrymen to convert to Islam. He was one exception in an otherwise glorious Mugal rule.

Edited August 7, 2012 by Ketan

[AbominableHoman]

The crackers are losing it.

[bran]

The crackers are losing it.

yeah the crazy ones are this guy was in a nazi punk band and had ties to white supremacy groups these guys are scary there is a small group that runs around up here doing that shit

[The Linguini Occurrence]

well the killer was a skinhead pure scum they are anyways glad he is dead

He also was a frontman for a heavy metal band influenced by Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Slayer to name a few

[Takeshi]

CNN have apologised for playing "Only the good die young," after a segment on the murders.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VqpytqXgqw

[Guest Len B'stard]

He also was a frontman for a heavy metal band influenced by Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Slayer to name a few

Which proves my long-held assertion regarding poor music taste being indicative of a fundamental lack of human soul and character

CNN have apologised for playing "Only the good die young," after a segment on the murders.

Fuckin' wankers