Meng, Jayapal, Carson, Chu Recognize Fifth Anniversary of Mass Shooting at FedEx Facility

WASHINGTON, D.C. April 15 — U.S. Representatives Grace Meng (NY-06), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), André Carson (IN-07), and Judy Chu (CA-28), CAPAC Chair Emerita, are introducing legislation recognizing five years since a tragic mass shooting took the lives of eight employees at a FedEx Ground facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. The facility’s workforce was nearly 90 percent of Sikh descent.

“Five years ago today, a gunman murdered eight innocent people, including four members of the Sikh community, at a FedEx warehouse in Indianapolis. This horrific tragedy shocked our nation and remains a painful reminder of the hate and violence that Sikhs continue to experience to this day. As we mourn those we lost, we must honor their memories by taking action to protect South Asian communities and end gun violence. That includes enacting commonsense gun safety legislation and standing up to the Trump administration’s actions to defund hate crime prevention services,” said Rep. Grace Meng, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

“I got my start in organizing in the wake of 9/11, standing up for our Sikh, Muslim, Arab, and South Asian neighbors who were experiencing increased racism and hate,” said Jayapal. “Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic and Trump’s return to power stoked these all too familiar flames of hatred. In 2021, at the height of this wave, eight workers, half of whom were members of the Sikh community, were killed in Indiana. Today we remember and honor their lives, and recommit ourselves to a world that is more just and safe for all communities.”

“Indianapolis cannot forget the violent attack against our community on April 15, 2021,” said Carson. “Eight Hoosiers were murdered at their jobs, including four members of the Sikh community. I am honored to co-lead this resolution to commemorate these eight lives, and to fight against the hate and prejudice that caused this senseless loss of life. No one should be targeted for violence or hateful harassment because of who they are — their race, their ethnicity, their faith or where they’re from. As our community continues to heal, I urge all my colleagues to cosponsor this resolution and pass it in the House.”

“The April 2021 mass shooting in Indianapolis was a striking act of violence, deeply affecting Sikhs and the broader AANHPI community,” said Rep. Judy Chu, Chair Emerita of CAPAC. “On this anniversary, and especially in the face of rising racial targeting in our country, it is critical that we strengthen our commitment to ensuring all immigrants receive protection against discrimination and bigotry. This includes continued federal investment in the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act programs to ensure that local communities have the resources they need to combat hate and violence. We can honor the victims’ memories by taking action to ensure that such an act of violence never happens again.”

Matthew Alexander, Samaria Blackwell, Amarjeet Johal, Jasvinder Kaur, Amarjit Sekhon, Jaswinder Singh, Karli Smith, and John Weisert were killed, and seven other workers in the facility were injured.

This resolution marks the fifth anniversary of the April 15, 2021, tragedy by:
Condemning the heinous act of gun violence on that day;
Honoring the memory of the eight victims and offering heartfelt condolences to their loved ones;
Condemning acts of discrimination and bigotry, white supremacist rhetoric, and the Trump Administration’s crackdown on immigrant communities;
Calling for the restoration and expansion of hate crime prevention programs in the Department of Justice;
Calling on the Trump Administration to reverse its anti-immigrant policies; and
Reaffirming the commitment of the federal government to protect civil and human rights.

U.S.-based Sikhs have often been stigmatized and targeted because of their visible articles of faith and other aspects of their intersectional identities. Sikh immigrant truck drivers have been scapegoated for “stealing” American jobs and posing a risk to road safety despite a lack of evidence for such claims.

“Five years ago today, a gunman attacked a FedEx facility in Indianapolis and killed eight individuals, four of whom were members of the local Sikh community. There was a complex and frustrating aftermath for this tragedy; local and federal law enforcement officials investigated the shooting, but ultimately declined to categorize it as a hate crime. While this question of motive still remains unsettled for many in the local and national Sikh community, the importance of commemoration remains. We remain grateful to all those who stand with the Indianapolis sangat on this day, and to all those who work to prevent acts of mass violence against any community,” said Harman Singh, Executive Director, The Sikh Coalition.

“We thank Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal for introducing this resolution honoring the memory of the victims of the Indianapolis FedEx mass shooting on April 15, 2021—Jasvinder Kaur, Jaswinder Singh, Amarjit Sekhon, Amarjeet Johal, Karli Smith, John Weisert, Samaria Blackwell, and Matthew Alexander—and for condemning the heinous act of gun violence that took these eight precious lives. We deeply appreciate her recognition of the profound impact this tragedy had on the Indianapolis community, as well as on the Sikh American community both locally and nationally,” said Kiran Kaur Gil, Executive Director, SALDEF.

“This resolution is about remembrance, dignity, and accountability. When people use political rhetoric to target immigrants and Muslim, Sikh, and South Asian communities, the harm becomes real—it shows up in violence, in policy, in daily fear. Honoring those we lost means standing against the forces that continue to endanger our communities today,” said Sim J. Singh Attariwala, Director of Anti-Hate Program, Asian Americans Advancing Justice.

“Five years ago, a horrific shooting in Indianapolis claimed the lives of eight people, including four Sikh Americans. On this painful anniversary, Stop AAPI Hate stands with their families and surrounding communities to honor their memory. And we extend our gratitude to Rep. Jayapal and other leaders for their leadership on this resolution and on the fight against anti-Asian hate. Today, the rising tide of racist rhetoric and anti-immigrant policies continues to target Sikh and South Asian communities. Our research shows that South Asian people are pulling back from social and civic life — and even making plans to leave the United States — out of fear for their safety. In this context, the anniversary of the Indianapolis shooting is not just a moment of remembrance but a call to action to keep standing up for civil rights and public safety. Because AAPI communities deserve nothing less,” said Manjusha Kulkarni, co-director and co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate.

The resolution is also sponsored by Suzan K. DelBene (WA-01), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Darren Soto (FL-09), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), and Mike Thompson (CA-04).

It is endorsed by Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), Sikh Coalition, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Stop AAPI Hate, Asian Law Alliance, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC), Indian American Impact, Indian American Muslim Council, Jakara Movement, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD), and South Asian Impact Foundation, South Asian Network.