Sikh leaders asking businesses to close Friday in honor of victims

OAK CREEK -- Sikh leaders are asking the world to join together and remember the six killed, and pray for the three critically injured during Sunday's shooting at the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek. Business leaders are asking people to take a time out during Friday's funeral services. Business owners say it's the least they can do to honor the victims, and say they hope the show of respect extends far beyond the Milwaukee area.



Bachan Singh Gill is an official at the Brookfield Sikh Temple and a gas station owner. His gas station is serving as a makeshift meeting place for business owners. A lot of the men worked side-by-side with the Sikh Temple victims and are hanging up signs to explain why they'll be closing their doors Friday afternoon.

"We are asking everybody in the whole world to close their business in the loving memory of the people who died. We want everyone to close their business and just pray for the people who died," Gill said.

"What we are doing -- it's not enough for them, for what they did for us," Amarjit Sandhar said.

For business owners, honoring the victims is not just a Sikh or Indian cause, but a global one.

"Our community is very strong. We are all united and we want the whole country united with us," Andy Khullar said.

The business owners say they hope having their doors closed will send a message they hope is recognized by everyone.

"It's not just for us. If anything happened to another religion, we would want to be there too," Khullar said.

Sikh leaders want businesses to take a time out between noon and 2:00 p.m. Friday afternoon. After that, doors will open back up.

Services are scheduled from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Friday at the Oak Creek High School gymnasium. In lieu of flowers for Friday's funeral services, Sikh community members are asked that donations be made to victims' families.

The deceased include:

1. Sita Singh- 41-year-old male
2. Ranjit Singh- 49-year-old male
3. Satwant Singh Kaleka- 62-year-old male
4. Prakash Singh- 39-year-old male
5. Paramjit Kaur- 41-year-old female
6. Suveg Singh Khattra- 84-year-old male

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