CNN is now reporting 6 dead including the gunman who is described in the title.
The attack occurred about 10:30 a.m. (11:30 a.m. ET), when temple members were reading scriptures and cooking food in preparation for the main Sunday service and community lunch, said Kanwardeep Singh Kaleka, a member of the congregation and the nephew of its president.
Kaleka was not at the temple at the time of the shooting, but helped police interview witnesses in the aftermath. He said members 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."
Sikhs have repeatedly been targeted with hate crimes in the wake of 9/11/01 because they wear a turban and are often confused with Muslims by the unknowing.
Many of the victims are Holy people:
"It seems the few casualties that have been divulged to me have been the equivalent of priests, the holy leaders of our people," he said. "My uncle is one of the administrators of the temple. It's mainly those individuals who have been targeted or shot. Maybe it's because the ladies were fortunate enough to dodge it out, but so far most of the people I've heard have been shot and killed were all turbaned males."
weatherdude has a post up right now that reports
the FBI is viewing this as domestic terrorism.
The police have already searched his house, with no reports of addition weapons or anything yet, only the single handgun found at the scene. (He shot a police officer and an officer shot him, killing him at the scene.)
So it is smelling more like a hate crime or act of domestic terrorism which many are suggesting is long overdue is crimes that seem like this one.
The distinction is important because, in all seriousness, the media seems to go well out of its way to avoid the notion that white folks could do anything similar to terrorist acts, when it's a very significant part of the pattern.
This guy, according to witnesses quoted above took out some of their Holy People, priests. If true it would lend further weight tot the idea this was designed to disrupt the whole community.
I think this should again draw attention to rightwing hate radio and general media: I think these incidents occur because, all other things being equal, they feel somehow justified and/or something has finally triggered their cork to pop.
And I think often as not that "something" is the nonstop deluge of hate or 'other rhetoric of intolerance" from rightwing media as well as politicians big and small, making some feel justified in killing people.
And it would seem to be a growing problem
[UPDATE] addikell has a post up indicating the guy had had white supremacist views and a military history., so more info there.