Washington D.C. – (April 19, 2021) This weekend, we joined our families and sangats across the nation to sit with the Guru and honor the lives of:
- Matthew R. Alexander, 32
- Samaria Blackwell, 19
- Amarjeet Johal, 66
- Jasvinder Kaur, 50
- Jaswinder Singh, 68
- Amarjit Sekhon, 48
- Karli Smith, 19
- John Weisert, 74
We grieve with the sangat in Indianapolis, the other employees of FedEx, and those affected by Thursday night’s shooting. Our prayers are with the families impacted by yet another senseless act of violence. We also recognize that impacts of such violence and trauma extend well beyond the families and immediate community members affected.
As Komal Chauhan, the grand-daughter of one of the victims, shared:
“Amarjeet Johal, my Naniji comes from a long line of strong women. After the passing of her mother, she never let her sisters feel that void. She has always been beyond dedicated to the family. This could be anybody’s Naniji.”
Our sangat is in pain. We cannot discount the history and context of violence in this country targeting minorities and the marginalized, immigrants and the elderly, women and workers.
At this time, we do not know if the Sikh community was explicitly targeted. SALDEF has been in touch with the FBI and law enforcement and we understand that they are conducting a comprehensive review of the gunman’s computer and digital media to determine possible motives. We call on law enforcement to fully investigate all possible motives, including if bias played any role in developing the gunman’s worldview and actions.
We recognize that these deaths occur in the context of a wave of gun violence impacting families across the nation. The shooting in Indianapolis is one of at least 45 mass shootings that occurred over the past month, binding different communities together in sorrow and calls for change and action.
Time and time again, the Sikh community has practiced resilience when we face tragedy, and we hope our community can stay in chardi kala as we continue to process our grief. We pray and hope that Sikh Americans and all Americans help make a thoughtful, driven change for a better and more peaceful future.
SALDEF is in touch with the families, the Indianapolis Sikh community, the F.B.I. and law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation. We will continue to share updates and verified information as it becomes available, in conjunction with our partners.