On the morning of August 5, 2012, a white supremacist gunman entered the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, a gurdwara (Sikh house of worship) in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. There he shot and killed six worshippers and severely injured others before killing himself. It was the deadliest mass shooting of Sikhs in U.S. history and at the time was one of the worst attacks on a U.S. house of worship.
Six worshippers — Paramjit Kaur Saini, Sita Singh, Ranjit Singh, Prakash Singh, Suveg Singh Khattra, and Satwant Singh Kaleka — were killed on that horrific day. An additional community member, Baba Punjab Singh, was severely paralyzed and ultimately died from complications related to his injuries in 2020. Others, including Bhai Santokh Singh and responding police officer Lt. Brian Murphy, were seriously wounded during the shooting.
To ensure that we never forget the tragedy at Oak Creek, the Sikh Temple invites the public to join in remembering and honoring the lives lost, their families and the resiliency of the Sikh American panth at the 10th annual Oak Creek Sikh Remembrance Vigil.
The theme, “Heal, Unite, Act,” will be featured in commemorative events from August 4-7, 2022. This interfaith remembrance event is intended to empower groups to come together to stand up against hate and structural racism. By being committed to fighting against hate together, we can begin healing the wounds of past and future generations.