Wisconsin Sikh Gurdwara holds vigil in honor of SC church shooting

Oak Creek, Wisconsin: A candlelight vigil was held in suburban Milwaukee last night to honor the nine people killed by a gunman last week at an historic black church in South Carolina.

The Sikh Temple in Oak Creek knows what the Charleston church is going through.

White supremacist gunman Wade Michael Page killed six worshipers in August of 2012 at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, before Page killed himself while police were shooting at him.

Oak Creek Sikh Gurudwara shooting victims [File Photo]

At Sunday night’s vigil, Rahul Dubey said the temple’s community was “standing by” those in Charleston — and they share their pain. Pastor Joseph Baring of the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal church in Madison led a prayer at the vigil, and said “Charleston is us.”

Last week’s alleged gunman, 21-year-old Dylann Roof, is facing murder charges.

Pardeek Kaleka, whose father was killed in the Oak Creek massacre, said the Sikhs are healing but in his words, “I don’t think there’s ever going to be closure.”

Kaleka noted that the Sikh Temple still has armed security at its doors.