Police say at least seven people, including a gunman, were killed in a shooting at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee Sunday.
Police were called to respond to the shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in the suburb of Oak Creek on Sunday morning, when witnesses said several dozen people were gathering for a service.
Greenfield Police Chief Bradley Wentlandt said four people were found dead inside the temple, while three, including the suspected shooter, were found dead outside. Police say they don't think there is a second shooter involved.
Wentlandt said the shooting suspect opened fire on an officer and the officer "put down" that man. Wentlandt said the officer was shot multiple times.
He described the scene as chaotic and fluid and urged the media not to broadcast photos or video showing tactical units, which could put officers in danger. Police responded to the shooting with a dozen ambulances.
Three other shooting victims, all men, were taken to Froederdt Hospital in Milwaukee, the main trauma center for the area, spokeswoman Carolyn Bellin said. One was in the operating room, another in a surgical intensive care unit and the third was being evaluated in the emergency room, she said.
According to the Journal Sentinel, there could be as many as 30 victims; among those shot was the president of the temple.
“Since I’ve been alderman, for about three years, there has never been any trouble, or any problems,” County Alderman Dan Jakupczyk told Fox News of the temple. “They have been good citizens.”
Wentlandt told reporters that a police officer arriving on the scene engaged an active shooter and that the officer was shot multiple times. The officer is expected to recover, Wentlandt said.
One of the temple's committee members, Ven Boba Ri, told the Journal Sentinel that based on communication with people inside the temple, the shooter was a white male in his 30s.
"It's sad, I don't know how to describe it," said Ri, who has been fielding calls all morning from around the world, including India.
"Sikhism is such a peaceful religion. We have suffered for generations, in India and even here."
Oak Creek is south of Milwaukee along Lake Michigan.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
turn your damn tv on
