Sacramento Sikh Temples Increase Security After Wisconsin Shooting

WEST SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - The Sikh shooting may have happened thousands of miles away but is hitting a little too close to home for the large Sikh community locally.

This Sikh temple in West Sacramento already has a locked gate and security cameras inside and outside the building.

Even though a shooting has never happened here, temple leaders are looking into getting even more protection, so it can't happen again.

"You're sitting there remembering God and then somebody opens the door and starts shooting," said Darshan Singh Mundy, local Sikh spokesman. "We are helpless; we can't do anything."

The shooting was in a safe and sacred place.

The shock still hasn't worn off even locally, thousands of miles away from that temple in Wisconsin, in one of the largest Sikh communities outside of India.

"I cannot imagine what is the reason. We are baffled," said Harmin Dergill, local Sikh.

Local Sikhs came to service like any other Sunday, but their prayers were for the six victims and the officer who was hurt when he shot the alleged gunman.

"Everyone was very sad, they all looked very sad," said one local Sikh man.

Very little is known about the man who opened fire, but many Sikhs here say they cant help but think they are the target of a hate crime.

"I think its misidentity, they don't know who we are," said the man.

The Sikh community has been a target of violence before.

Since September 11, several attacks on their community have taken place across the country.

Even here, two elderly Sikh men were shot and killed while they were on a walk through their Elk Grove neighborhood.

That murder mystery has yet to be solved.

"We had nothing to do with 9/11 but still people think we do. We are peace loving people," said Mundy.

Peace loving and peace promoting is what Sikhs say is the basis of their religion.

Even after this violent act, they are finding a way to come together, ready to help with anything the victims in Wisconsin might need.

"They are not alone, we are with them," said Mundy.

Temple leaders say they have been seeing more law enforcement driving around outside the temple Sunday, which they are happy about.

However, after what happened they are looking into getting that ramped up police presence to be a permanent change.