[a witness, Kanwardeep Singh Kaleka,] described the attacker as a bald, white man, dressed in a white T-shirt and black pants and with a 9/11 tattoo on one arm — which “implies to me that there’s some level of hate crime there.”
Kaleka also said (emphasis added)
It seems like this person has this 9/11 tattoo, obviously has some animosity about those incidents, and ignorantly takes it out on a community that he thinks are responsible — which is ludicrous in every way. Not only are we Sikh, we’re not Muslim. But Muslims themselves are not responsible as a group for that
Statement of the Sikh Coalition
There have been multiple hate crime shootings within the Sikh community in recent years and the natural impulse of our community is to unfortunately assume the same in this case. Let’s let law enforcement investigate the case and as new facts emerge the dialogue can change. Americans died today in a senseless act of violence and Americans of all faiths should stand in unified support with their Sikh brothers and sisters
Sikh beliefs. The three aspects of Sikhism:
Naam Japna. A Sikh is to engage in a daily practice of meditation and Nitnem by reciting and chanting of God’s Name.
Kirat Karni. To live honestly and earn by ones physical and mental effort while accepting God’s gifts and blessings. A Sikh has to live as a householder carrying out his or her duties and responsibilities to the full.
Vand Chakna. Sikhs are asked to share their wealth within the community and outside by giving Dasvand and practising charity (Daan). To “share and consume together”.