(Washington, D.C.) — Eight people were shot and killed at an Indianapolis FedEx facility last week by a former employee. Four of the eight victims belonged to the Sikh religious community. The attack in Indiana’s state capital, also the third largest city in the Midwest, was the latest in a surge of at least six deadly mass shootings in the United States over the past month. The following is a statement from Damon Hewitt, acting president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law:
“We recognize this incredible loss to the Sikh community and we support our Sikh brothers and sisters in demanding justice and investigating this mass shooting as a possible hate crime. Mass shootings in America must be recognized for what they are: unjustifiable, senseless acts of violence that often target historically marginalized groups and contribute to a disproportionate and unnecessary loss of life in communities of color. This injustice cannot stand.
“We need tangible and sustainable measures to protect all human life from this horrific violence and hate, support the needs of all of our diverse communities, and provide reparative justice for those who have suffered.”
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About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law – The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers’ Committee), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of voting rights, criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and hate crimes. The James Byrd Jr. Center to Stop Hate, a project of the Lawyers’ Committee, supports communities and individuals targeted for hate and challenges white supremacy by using creative legal advocacy and litigation, disrupting systems that enable hate, and educating the general public and policy makers. For more information, please visit https://lawyerscommittee.org.
