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[San Jose, CA, 4/19/2021] ING expresses its deep condolences to the victims and their families following a mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis last Thursday which took the lives of 8 people and injured several others. We also stand in solidarity with the Sikh community, as four of those killed in the attack were of the Sikh faith. While the motivation of the shooter is still not clear, the FedEx facility he attacked is known to have a large Sikh workforce. We urge law enforcement to conduct a full investigation into the role of bias in this attack.
Since 9/11, Sikhs have been a frequent target of hate crimes and killings in part due to the fact that many people confuse them with Muslims. In fact, the same epithets used against Sikhs in hate crimes are often the same ones used against Muslims and Arabs. It was because of this association between the groups that after 9/11 ING joined forces with Sikh nonprofits to conduct several cultural competency trainings for law enforcement that were organized by the US Department of Justice. ING has since then continued to conduct trainings for police and other institutions to help clarify misconceptions about Sikhs and Muslims and how their religious values are aligned with American values.
We are committed more than ever to joining our Sikh brothers and sisters in the important work of education and engagement to clarify misconceptions about us and prevent hate crimes and incidents against us.
Like the mass shooting at a gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin in 2012, these events impact the entire Sikh community, creating a sense of fear, loss, and alienation. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those impacted by this senseless attack, as well as by the spate of recent mass shootings nationwide.