US Sikh temple shooter was Army veteran: Pentagon
Indian Sikh men hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the deadly shooting attack at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, in Jammu, Monday, Aug. 6, 2012.—AP Photo
WASHINGTON: The gunman who killed six people inside a Sikh temple in the US and was killed in a police shootout was a 40-year-old Army veteran, officials said Monday, and a civil rights group identified him as a “frustrated neo-Nazi” who led a white supremacist band.
Police called Sunday’s attack an act of domestic terrorism.
The shooter was Wade Michael Page, said First Assistant US Attorney Greg Haanstad in Milwaukee. Page joined the Army in 1992 and was discharged in 1998, according to a US defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information about the suspect.
Officials and witnesses said the gunman walked into the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin and opened fire as several dozen people prepared for Sunday morning services. Six were killed, and three were critically wounded.
Page was a “frustrated neo-Nazi” who led a racist white supremacist band, the Southern Poverty Law Center said Monday. Page told a white supremacist website in an interview in 2010 that he had been part of the white power music scene since 2000, when he left his native Colorado and started the band, End Apathy, in 2005, the civil rights organization said.
He told the website his “inspiration was based on frustration that we have the potential to accomplish so much more as individuals and a society in whole,” according to the SPLC. He did not mention violence in the interview.
Page joined the military in 1992 and was a repairman for the Hawk missile system before switching jobs to become one of the Army’s psychological operations specialists, according to the defense official.
So-called “Psy-Ops” specialists are responsible for the analysis, development and distribution of intelligence used for information and psychological effect; they research and analyze methods of influencing foreign populations.
Fort Bragg, North Carolina, was among bases where Page served. Joseph Rackley of North Carolina told The Associated Press that Page lived with his son for about six months last year in a house on Rackley’s property.
Wade was bald and had tattoos all over his arms, Rackley said, but he doesn’t remember what they depicted. He said he wasn’t aware of any ties Page may have had to white supremacists.
“I’m not a nosy kind of guy,” Rackley said. “When he stayed with my son, I don’t even know if Wade played music. But my son plays alternative music, and periodically I’d have to call them because I could hear more than I wanted to hear.”
im a sikh and im not blaming american for this ,. one insane man come to temple and shot innocent people for some reason had nothing to do with american ppl or govertment.
within min police reach the temple and shot down the killer,one officer took 8 shot on him for saving the sikh ,we all sikh form worldwide proud of him.
mr obama whohad lower half there country flag till 10 /8/12 because of this incident,thank u sir.
the only thing i want to say is turban is compusery in our sikh religion ,.we sikh don't cut our hair and keep our bread and wear turban all the time,please don't mistaken us as muslim ,our nation suffer alot since the birth of sikh religion.
we are peace loving people and wan't to live in peace .thank
America should focus on their internal problem rather than external.
The other one was influenced by bat man movies and this one is incluenced by the USA army. Seems they need to keep flms and Military training away from the Americans
free sale of guns in society should be banned in all countries, usa, PAKISTAN
Sikhs are mistaken for Muslims by most Westerners. They think they are Sunni extremists!
Ban on gun control in the USA is practically impossible, since everyone has a gun now. Also, the US government would rather keep their american citizens safe (by allowing them to carry a weapon), then get the killed in a terrorist attack. For them, any non-american is expendable.
We also need to control our Weaponized society, Its burning the whole country.
This is the Religious Freedom Hillary Clinton was talking about last week towards Pakistan. Shame on USA. http://dawn.com/2012/07/31/official-policies-rest…
Of course it is a shame my friend, but not due to the official policy of the US controlling religious freedom.
Ban open sale of weapons in USA to avoid Hate crime in our Deame Land
How many more innocent people must die before the American law makers will amend the liberal laws on the right to own a gun??
I always find it amusing how Western terrorists are still Human while our terrorists lack any Human demeanor.
oh media what will you do more to us!?
This protest is useless. They shot the guy who created this garbage. Fell really sad and heart goes out to innocent souls. May they rest in peace. Religion is just a way of reaching to the God. Be it Bhagwan, Allah Jesus or Guru Nanakji.