Worshippers, dignitaries and community members mark 10 years since the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin massacre

Ten years ago Friday, a white supremacist opened fire inside the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek, killing six people and injuring four others in what marked the beginning of a decade of mass shootings in Wisconsin.

The memorial anniversary, which was held at the temple, 7512 S. Howell Ave., drew a big crowd including dignitaries from all levels of government to participate in the vigil.

Among the speakers was retired Oak Creek Police Lt. Brian Murphy, the first officer to respond to the temple shooting in 2012. After he arrived, Murphy didn't wait for reinforcements before exchanging gunfire with the white supremacist who took his own life in the shooting.

Murphy told the hundreds of worshippers in attendance Friday that although their friends and family members have passed on, the departed souls will remain with them in spirit. In fact, it was another departed soul, Murphy's sister, who died five months prior to the temple shooting, that saved his life that day.

"As I'm laying under the car, I hear my sister Elaine, clear as a bell, 'Brian you have to move now.' And I rolled out from under the car, and I start moving, and that's what saved my life," said Murphy, whose vocal cords are permanently damaged due to an injury sustained in the shooting.

Murphy has served as a mentor to Kamal Saini, who lost his mother in the shooting.

Saini said he was out late with friends the night before the shooting and told his mom he wouldn't be going to the temple that Sunday, something he calls "divine intervention."

He said his mom made him and his brother breakfast that morning before heading off to the temple to help prepare for Sunday services. He said the last thing he heard his mother say was "make sure you eat breakfast."

Shortly after his mother's departure, Saini began to receive phone calls about the shooting. He got in his car and headed toward the temple, but never got close because officers were restricting access. He later learned that his mother was one of six victims killed that day.

Saini used the tragedy as a call to service, seeking advice from Murphy in the subsequent months. "We became really close after the shooting," Saini said.

"The sheer fact that a stranger, and I don't care if people will say, well, he was doing his job. No, as we know not everybody's inclined to do their jobs at times. This man didn't know anything about this place of worship, and he was completely unfamiliar with that. He still ran towards chaos that day and mitigated that event. I think it could have been a lot worse. So when I heard that story, I got to know Brian."

Saini joined the Marine Corps, following in Murphy's footsteps, then Saini, just like Murphy, joined the ranks of law enforcement by becoming a deputy sheriff with the Racine County Sheriff's Office.

Gov. Tony Evers, Biden administration stand in solidarity with the Sikh community

As part of Friday's events, worshippers and attendees held candles in honor of the victims. Among those in attendance was Gov. Tony Evers who greeted and mourned with many of the victims' family members.

"Tonight we honor the memories of the seven beloved family members, friends and trusted leaders who were killed in an act of senseless gun violence," Evers told the crowd.

In addition to the six people who died that day, a seventh person died in 2020 due to the complications from the shooting.

"We hold close to our hearts, each person who was taken from us and we pray for healing and peace for all those that we have lost and miss them every day," Evers said.

Oak Creek Mayor Dan Bukiewicz highlighted the city's commitment to the Sikh community.

"I'm really proud to have the Sikh community right here in Oak Creek," he said. "This was one of the first hate crimes in a place of worship. And unfortunately it set a bad tone for what we've been experiencing the last few years."

Bukiewicz noted the diversity at Friday's memorial.

"That's what I want my America to look like. That's what I want my Oak Creek to look like. The more we understand, the better off we are," he said.

Former U.S. Attorney James Santelle spoke to some of the progress that was made in wake of the tragedy. "I say to this day, (the victims') deaths were not in vain," he said.

He pointed to the Oak Creek Public Library, "now the site of the largest public collection materials of Sikh studies in our nation."

"Employers, and landlords, and military leaders, and health care providers, and teachers, and bankers now have greater commitments to ensuring that Sikhs, and people of all faiths, have access to and opportunities for achieving the dreams of lives well lived," Santelle said.

Two representatives from President Joe Biden's administration also attended the memorial and shared a statement from the president.

Victims of Sikh temple shooting remembered

The most solemn portion of the evening was the reading of the victims' names. The worshippers who died in the shooting are:

Paramjit Kaur Saini,

Sita Singh,

Ranjit Singh,

Prakash Singh,

Suveg Singh Khattra,

Satwant Singh Kaleka, and

Baba Punjab Singh.

The Sikh Temple of Wisconsin is spending the entire weekend recognizing those lost in the tragedy. At a community event Saturday, people young and old made their way around the temple's massive yard, participating in a community outreach event and learning about some of the interfaith organizations in the area.

On Sunday, there will be another "tribute to departed souls" at 1:30 p.m.

Contact Drake Bentley at (414) 391-5647 or DBentley1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DrakeBentleyMJS. 

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Sikh temple shooting anniversary hailed by Wisconsin, national leaders