Sikh community: 'Grief shared is grief halved'
Investigators are still searching for a motive in the shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin earlier this week. A spokesperson for Milwaukee's Sikh community said they 'are overwhelmed by the response' by mourners from around the country.
Jim Snead, left, is assisted with lighting his candle by Jenna Crum, 13, of Olathe, during a candlelight vigil at Shawnee Mission Park to honor the six victims of a mass shooting at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis. Vigils around the country this week helped to console mourners in Wisconsin.
AP Photo/The Kansas City Star, Allison Long
OAK CREEK, Wis.
The听Wisconsin Sikh听temple听where six worshippers were gunned down by a white supremacist reopened its doors on Thursday, as mourners from around the country converged on Oak Creek ahead of a public wake and private funerals.
Thousands are expected to attend Friday's wake at Oak Creek High School, where the bodies of the six victims will lie in repose, according to local Sikh听leaders. Among those expected to attend were听Wisconsin听Governor听Scott Walker听and Attorney General听Eric Holder.
"Grief shared is grief halved," said听Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal, a spokesperson for the Sikh听community in听Milwaukee, referring to the dozens of vigils for the victims held throughout the nation this week.
"It restores our faith in humanity. We are overwhelmed by the response," he added.
Satwant Singh Kaleka, the 65-year-old president of the congregation, was among the victims. The others who died were Sita Singh, 41;听Ranjit Singh, 49;听Prakash Singh, 39; Paramjit Kaur, 41; and听Suveg Singh, 84.
The gunman, Wade Michael Page, a 40-year-old U.S. Army veteran with links to racist groups, also wounded three others seriously when he opened fire on worshipers Sunday morning. Page was shot in the stomach by a responding officer before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
The two-hour wake will be held in the high school's gymnasium about two miles (3.2 km) south of the Sikh听Temple of听Wisconsin听where the shooting occurred. Sikh听religious leaders will lead prayers and hymns during the ceremony as a procession of mourners pass the bodies.
The wake will be followed by private funeral ceremonies in the afternoon at a crematorium.
Investigators, who are still searching for a motive, released the temple back to the Sikh听congregation on Thursday morning.
(Editing by Paul Thomasch and Philip Barbara)