Canadians attend Wisconsin funeral for Sikh temple shooting victims

Several Canadians, including Toronto-area MPP Jagmeet Singh, attended the funeral for the six people killed in a shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin.

A vigil was being held early Saturday evening at Yonge-Dundas Square in downtown Toronto for the victims.

An inter-faith event was also held in Brampton on Friday, to show support for survivors and victims’ families.

Hundreds of people gathered in the Milwaukee suburb of Oak Creek on Friday to pay final respects to the five men and one woman killed when white supremacist and army vet Wade Michael Page burst into the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin and opened fire before prayer services last Sunday morning.

Page shot himself after exchanging gunfire with police.

Singh and several other Sikhs from across Canada attended the funeral, which was held in a high school gymnasium where the caskets of the victims were adorned with red and white flowers.

Several of the Canadian attendees carried banners to show solidarity. Singh said there was an “outpouring of love.”

Survivors spoke at the service, including children who said they found comfort in the fact their parents were killed in a house of worship, where God was ready to accept them.

Temple president Satwant Singh Kaleka, 65, was killed while fighting the gunman in an effort to save others. The other victims include: Ranjit Singh, 49, and his 41-year-old brother, Sita Singh; Suveg Singh Khattra, 84; Prakash Singh, 39; and Paramjit Kaur, 41, a mother of two.

Oak Creek Police Lt. Brian Murphy was shot nine times in the attack. He remains in hospital.

Many American dignitaries attended the service, including U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

With files from the Associated Press and the Canadian Press

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