Police release sketch of possible gunman in Sikh man shooting

Kent police haven’t made any arrests after a Sikh man was shot in a driveway Friday by a gunman who yelled, “go back to your own country.”

But nearly a week into the hate crime investigation, police released a sketch on Thursday and described the suspect as a six-foot tall man with a medium build.

What police say about the incident

According to authorities, around 8 p.m., an armed individual walked up to a man working on his car in a driveway at a house off 108th Avenue SE. The victim, who is a member of the Sikh community, was wearing a turban.

The Sikh man told police that the gunman said, "Go back to your own country."

Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said Sunday that the department is investigating the shooting as a hate crime. He said no arrests have been made yet, but that he did not believe anyone was in imminent danger.

"This is a top priority investigation, and we are doing everything possible to identify and arrest the suspect," Thomas said in an email, adding that residents in the city of about 125,000 should "be vigilant," but also not let the shooting hurt their quality of life.

The FBI’s Seattle Field Office, in conjunction with the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, has opened a civil rights investigation. On Monday, KIRO 7 News learned that the FBI is working with the Kent Police Department to determine if there is a federal civil rights violation.

In a news conference with police and the FBI on Thursday, leaders said that the suspect is a white man and six-feet tall with a medium build. The victim told authorities that the gunman was wearing a dark hoodie and a mask covering part of his face during the shooting, police said.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to a possible arrest.

About the victim and family

Family describes Deep Rai Singh as a father and a small business owner.

Sikh community leader Hira Singh told the Associated Press that the man is recovering from his wound at home. Family identifies the victim as 39-year-old Deep Rai Singh.

Hira Singh – who ran for Kent City Council last year – said the family doing well and "getting back to normal” now that the victim is back home recovering. He said they've been overwhelmed by an outpouring of support and love.

KIRO 7’s Siemny Kim spoke to Rai over the phone on Monday. He told her he is okay, still in shock and asked for privacy for his family at this time.

Tim Lemire, one of Rai’s employees, spoke to KIRO 7 News after learning about the shooting.  He brought flowers for Rai and his wife.

“He totally loves his country,” Lemire said. “I guess he was stereotyped.”

How the community has reacted

Fear, hurt and disbelief weighed on the minds of those who gathered at a Renton Sikh temple over the weekend after the shooting happened near the Panther Lake Community.

As they entered and left the services, many expressed fear that one of their own was targeted and said they're scared to go to the store or other public places. Some said they have noticed an uptick in name-calling and other racist incidents in recent months. Others expressed hurt and disbelief at the ignorance and lack of understanding.

"Everybody who is part of this community needs to be vigilant," Satwinder Kaur, a Sikh community leader, said as several hundred people poured into a temple in Renton for worship services about one mile from Friday night's shooting.

On Sikhs being targets of violence

The shooting comes after an Indian man was killed and another wounded in a recent shooting at a Kansas bar that federal agencies are investigating as a hate crime after witnesses say the suspect yelled, "Get out of my country."

Sikhs have previously been the target of assaults in the U.S. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the backlash that hit Muslims around the country expanded to include those of the Sikh faith. Sikh men often cover their heads with turbans, which are considered sacred, and refrain from shaving their beards.

In 2012, a man shot and killed six Sikh worshipers and wounded four others at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee before killing himself.

The Sikh Coalition, a national civil rights group, on Sunday said that everything must be done "to confront this growing epidemic of hate violence."

KIRO 7 News checked with the Sikh community, who say the pronunciation of “Sikh” is similar to the word “sick,” not “seek.”

Cox Media Group