BREAKING: Shooting at Sikh Temple in Oak Creek

A mass shooting has occurred at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisc., this morning.

At least four people have been reported injured in the mass shooting and no suspect has been identified.

The incident reportedly occurred around 10:45 a.m. at the temple, just outside of Milwaukee.

According to information broadcast over police radio, a witness to the shooting told law enforcement the shooter was a white male, bald, with a heavy build. He was wearing a sleeveless T-shirt, according to Oak Creek Patch. He was last seen with two handguns.

Oak Creek police have not released any information yet on the shooting.

Several people have been injured in a shooting incident at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis., just south of Milwaukee, theMilwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.

Update at 1:25 p.m. ET: Two men have been admitted to Froedtert hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said. One is in critical condition in the surgical intensive care unit; the other has been sent to an operating room, CNN reports.

Update at 1:23 p.m. ET: Fran McLaughlin, spokeswoman for the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department, says a call came in at 10:26 a.m. CT. She says officers are at the scene but she has no other information to report, AP reports.

Update at 1:13 p.m. ET: Two shooters are possibly still inside with children as hostages, according to someone who sent a text message to a Journal Sentinel reporter, the Journal-Sentinel reports.

CNN is reporting that the shooter is at large.

Update at 1:07 p.m. ET: Reports of 20 to 30 shot at Sikh Temple in Wisconsin, possible hostages, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.

There are reports that the head priest was locked inside a restroom with a cell phone and said there were as many as 30 victims in temple.

As of about noon, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office said it had not been called to the scene.

Meanwhile, Brookfield police officers were dispatched to the Sikh Temple at 3675 N. Calhoun Road as a precaution in the aftermath of the Oak Creek shooting.

At least three squads were at the temple in Waukesha County.

Original post: The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinelis reporting that multiple people, an undetermined number between 8 and 20, have been injured in a shooting incident at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis., just south of Milwaukee.

The shooting took place around 11 a.m. local time at the Sikh Temple, 7512 S. Howell Ave., in Oak Creek.

Oak Creek police, the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department and other law enforcement agencies have responded.

Let's together put our prayers together for those who were involved in this cruel incident 😭

At least four people have been killed and many other wounded in a Sunday morning shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin.

Today's TMJ4 says that pictures from the scene indicate that four people have been killed.

Oak Creek police have not confirmed any details on the shootings, which happened at about 10:45 a.m. Sunday, but scanner reports say as many as 20 people may have been shot. There also are unconfirmed reports of two fatalties at the temple at 7512 S. Howell Ave.

A person who had friends inside the temple told Patch that the shooting occurred during a morning service and that at least one gunman opened fire on the victims.

Another person on the scene told Patch that shortly before noon that there were three or four people inside the temple with games. That person described the shooting as "a hate crime.""

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has received a text message that two shooters may be holding children hostage in the building.

According to recent information broadcast over police radio, a witness to the shooting told law enforcement the shooter was a white male, with a heavy build, bald head and wearing a sleeveless T-shirt. He was last seen with two handguns.

Scanner reports indicated that as of noon that suspect may still be at large. Police have closed a portion of Howell Avenue and traffic is being diverted.

Flight for Life helicopters have arrived on the scene. A Wauwatosa fire truck and numerous squad cars also are on on the scene.

The Sikh Temple began with 20 families in rented space in the south side of Milwaukee and has since grown to number in the hundreds. A new Gurudwara was built in Oak Creek to better serve the needs of the growing community. The construction of the 17,500 square-foot Gurudwara was completed in 2007, with parking for 100 cars.

Officials visited the Oak Creek temple in August 2011 to discuss public safety issues in the Sikh community. Concerns about safety arose last summer in the Sikh community after many businesses and people became victims of robberies and vandalism, according to an Oak Creek Patch report.

Sikh Indians, because of religious tradition, wear turbans to cover their uncut hair and have longer beards. They are often mistaken for Muslims and have been the targets of racially-motivated crimes by anti-Muslim people and groups, as evidenced by the epithets shouted at them.

Sunday's shooting is similar to an incident in March 2005 in Brookfield, when a gunman killed parishioners during a church service at the Sheraton Hotel in Brookfield where the Living Church of God met regularly.

One of their own, long-time church member Terry Ratzmann, 44, of New Berlin, opened fire, killing himself and seven other people. Then-District Attorney Paul Bucher told the Associated Press in August 2005 that Ratzmann executed the pastor's family and "then randomly opened up fire after that."

A clear motive for the Brookfield shooting was never identified.

Its so scary..another blind gun shooting in US and that too inside a temple. I hope its under control and the culprites caught by the cops. Lets pray for the victims safety:(

Seriously, US need to get stricter gun control😕
Edited by Aahaana - 11 years ago

If there is a hostage situation still going on ... I pray for all the people specially for the kids to come out soon ...
GUNS SHUD BE BANNED FOREVER ... Even though there exists the freedom to own guns in this country since its formation ... now the rules shud be changed ... its high time now.

i cnt believe this... i hpe the culprits r caught...wts the world coming to? why cnt ppl jus live in peace n let others live too...

Such a shocking incident ... really condemn this act of Cowardice..👎🏼

These guns are a serious problem in US...They really should do something about it. Edited by Chandnii2 - 11 years ago

Its realy a shocker News thnx Visha. I dnt undrstand why cnt people Live n let live others happy! RIP to those innocent souls and I Pray the Culprits get caught soon. Regards dev

Wow...so now you can't even go to a religious place without feeling safe? Thanks for the post Visha. My brother had told me about it a while ago but wasn't sure of the details. Hope everyone is ok. Is there still a hostage situation?

Edit: saw the news and said that 7 died: 6 + suspected gunman. May the souls of the victims rest in peace and hope that the families are able to get through this...
Edited by -Ravjot- - 11 years ago