Indian Embassy conveys condolences to families of those killed in Indianapolis mass shooting

Washington, April 17

The Indian Embassy in the US has conveyed its heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in a "shocking" mass shooting incident at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis, that killed eight people, including four Sikhs.

India's Consul General in Chicago, Amit Kumar, spoke to the Mayor of Indianapolis Joe Hogsett, who assured full support.

“We convey our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the shocking shooting incident at FedEx facility in Indianapolis and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” Indian Embassy said in a statement on Friday night.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and remain ready to provide all possible assistance,” it said.

Brandon Scott Hole, 19, of Indiana, and a former employee at the facility in Indianapolis carried out the mass shooting on late Thursday before allegedly dying by suicide.

About 90 per cent of the workers at this delivery service facility are said to be Indian-Americans, mostly from the Sikh community.

Late Friday night, the Marion County Coroner's Office and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) released the names of the victims.

They are Amarjeet Johal (66), Jasvinder Kaur (64), Amarjit Skhon (48) and Jaswinder Singh (68). First three are women. Four others were Karli Smith (19), Samaria Blackwell (19), Matthew R. Alexander (32) and John Weisert (74).

IMPD said the coroner's office will determine the causes of death after autopsies are complete. At least one of the injured was Harpreet Singh Gill, 45.

He was hit by a bullet near the eye and is in the hospital.

“The Indianapolis police have identified the victims of the tragic shooting incident today late evening, which include persons from Indian-American Sikh community. Our Consulate in Chicago is in touch with the local authorities in Indianapolis as well as the community leaders, and will render all possible assistance, as required,” the embassy said.

This is the worst Sikh massacre in the US after the Oak Creek Gurdwara mass shooting in Wisconsin on August 5, 2012, where seven members of the community were killed. It was declared an act of domestic terrorism by federal authorities.

The South Asian Journalists Association and the Asian American Journalists Association said that it is saddened by the shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis that left at least eight dead, many of them reported to have been Sikhs.

There is a history of violence against the Sikh community in the United States that stems in part from a lack of education and cultural awareness, it said, as it issued a few style and context guidelines for news organisations reporting on this tragedy. PTI

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