Taptejdeep Singh (Credit: USA Today – AP)
The American Sikh Council (ASC) is horrified at the murder spree by a disgruntled employee, David Cassidy who shot and killed nine employees at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Agency (VTA) in San Jose, CA.
Most of the dead were longtime employees. The Santa Clara County coroner’s office released the names of all the victims as; Taptejdeep Singh 36; Adrian Balleza, 29; Jose Dejesus Hernandez, 35; Paul Delacruz Megia, 42; Timothy Michael Romo, 49; Alex Ward Fritch, 49; Michael Joseph Rudometkin, 40; Abdolvahab Alaghmandan, 63, and Lars Kepler Lane, 63.
ASC extends its deepest condolences to the victims and their families of those involved in Wednesday morning’s massacre at the VTA.
The gunman David Cassidy opened fire around 6:30 am on Wednesday at a light rail yard in San Jose, CA. In the chaos that ensued one of the victims Taptejdeep Singh rushed out of an office where his co-workers were hiding and according to eyewitnesses, called others trying to warn them while running through the building and trying to secure it. According to news reports he even helped save a woman by hiding her in the control room but got gunned down in the stairway.
According to news reports, family members will choose to remember their loved one as a true hero. Taptejdeep Singh even in this tragedy lived by the Sikh values, which is to live in the service and protection of others. Taptejdeep Singh was a genuine practicing Sikh. He leaves behind a wife, son and a daughter.
All the victims leave behind families and dear ones – broken hearted!
ASC Vice-President S.Jasbir Kaur stated, “Our deepest condolences to the victims and their loved ones. Our nation’s leaders need to step up and acknowledge a flawed system of gun ownership. All concerned Americans from every religious tradition must help support sensible gun reform legislation on military style weapons, because based on the past pattern sadly these killings will continue. This kind of violence on innocent hard-working Americans cannot be tolerated.” The American Sikh Council (ASC) stands in solidarity with all brothers and sisters across America, who continue to be impacted by random violence. We pray for all the departed and their families who lost their loved ones in this shocking tragedy.