Wade Michael Page, a gunman who shot dead six worshippers at a Sikh temple was a white supremacist who had previously served in the US Army, officials said.
Page, 40, was named as the man who carried out the massacre at the Oak Creek Sikh Temple in Wisconsin on Sunday morning.
Pictures show him heavily tattooed. Neighbours said that he had a tattoo
commemorating the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on his right arm, a
common indicator of far-Right and anti-Muslim affiliations.
On Monday, the police said that they were seeking a second "person of
interest". Officers want to speak to a man who was seen filming groups
of Sikhs outside the temple after the attack. The man was captured on film
by local news media and he too has a "9/11/01" tattoo on his upper
right arm.
Wade shot dead six people and injured three others, including a police
officer, before he was shot dead by armed police.
Officially no motive has been disclosed, but yesterday it emerged that Page,
whose name was released by US Attorney James A. Santelle, is a former army
officer who fronted a neo-Nazi white supremacist band.
Page's band was called End Apathy and had recently given an interview to a
local record label website in which he spoke about his "frustration
that we have the potential to accomplish so much more as individuals and a
society in whole [sic]."
Page's rampage comes just two weeks after James Holmes murdered 12 people and injured 51 others after opening fire in a cinema in Aurora, Colorado during a screening of new Batman film The Dark Knight Rises.
On Monday it emerged that Page was in the army from 1992 to 1998 before being discharged for a "pattern" of misconduct including drunkenness and going Awol. It was reported that he had purchased the 9mm handgun used in the rampage legally from a store in Wisconsin.
The Southern Poverty Law Centre, a group that monitors racists, said that they had been tracking Page since 2000, when he tried to purchase goods from the National Alliance, described as a neo-Nazi organisation.
Heidi Beirich, a director of the group, said there was "no question" Page was a believer in the white supremacist movement. She said her organisation had evidence that he attended "hate events" around the country. "He was involved in the scene," she told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Also on Monday the names of Page's victims were released. They included the temple's president, Satwant Singh Kaleka. The others were brothers Sita and Ranjit Singh, Subage Singh, Parmjit Kaur and Parkash Singh.
It also emerged that the police officer shot and injured was Brian Murphy, 51, a veteran of more than 20 years and once a candidate to become the Oak Creek police chief.
Sikhs in the United States have suffered an increase in attacks since the September 11 attacks by perpetrators seeking 'revenge' who mistook them for Muslims.
Following the massacre, Manjit Singh, leader of a Sikh political party in India said Sikhs are an "an important part of America" but that their beliefs and contributions must be given a higher profile. "This is a racially motivated case and the (US) government needs to educate people about different communities so it doesn't happen again," he said.
President Barack Obama led the tributes in the US saying he was “deeply saddened” by the attack although Jay Carney, the White House spokesman, on Monday said the massacre would not prompt a fresh drive for gun control measures.
Manmohan Singh, the Indian prime minister, who is himself a Sikh, said: "I am deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the shooting incident that has resulted in the loss of precious lives. That this senseless act of violence should be targeted at a place of religious worship is particularly painful,"
Sikh leaders in India called for a campaign to highlight their distinct religion.
Manjit Singh, leader of a Sikh political party said Sikhs are an "an important part of America" but that their beliefs and contributions must be given a higher profile.
"This is a racially motivated case and the (US) government needs to educate people about different communities so it doesn't happen again," he said.
Page's rampage comes just two weeks after James Holmes murdered 12 people and injured 51 others after opening fire in a cinema in Aurora, Colorado during a screening of new Batman film The Dark Knight Rises.
On Monday it emerged that Page was in the army from 1992 to 1998 before being discharged for a "pattern" of misconduct including drunkenness and going Awol. It was reported that he had purchased the 9mm handgun used in the rampage legally from a store in Wisconsin.
The Southern Poverty Law Centre, a group that monitors racists, said that they had been tracking Page since 2000, when he tried to purchase goods from the National Alliance, described as a neo-Nazi organisation.
Heidi Beirich, a director of the group, said there was "no question" Page was a believer in the white supremacist movement. She said her organisation had evidence that he attended "hate events" around the country. "He was involved in the scene," she told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Also on Monday the names of Page's victims were released. They included the temple's president, Satwant Singh Kaleka. The others were brothers Sita and Ranjit Singh, Subage Singh, Parmjit Kaur and Parkash Singh.
It also emerged that the police officer shot and injured was Brian Murphy, 51, a veteran of more than 20 years and once a candidate to become the Oak Creek police chief.
Sikhs in the United States have suffered an increase in attacks since the September 11 attacks by perpetrators seeking 'revenge' who mistook them for Muslims.
Following the massacre, Manjit Singh, leader of a Sikh political party in India said Sikhs are an "an important part of America" but that their beliefs and contributions must be given a higher profile. "This is a racially motivated case and the (US) government needs to educate people about different communities so it doesn't happen again," he said.
President Barack Obama led the tributes in the US saying he was “deeply saddened” by the attack although Jay Carney, the White House spokesman, on Monday said the massacre would not prompt a fresh drive for gun control measures.
Manmohan Singh, the Indian prime minister, who is himself a Sikh, said: "I am deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the shooting incident that has resulted in the loss of precious lives. That this senseless act of violence should be targeted at a place of religious worship is particularly painful,"
Sikh leaders in India called for a campaign to highlight their distinct religion.
Manjit Singh, leader of a Sikh political party said Sikhs are an "an important part of America" but that their beliefs and contributions must be given a higher profile.
"This is a racially motivated case and the (US) government needs to educate people about different communities so it doesn't happen again," he said.
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