By Asia Samachar | United States |
Crossroads captures the story of a community responding to an act of violence, and their right to be safe and treated equally, as Sikhs living in America. It revolves around the Fedex shooting in April 2021 killing eight and injuring several others.
The short documentary was scheduled for release in advance of two more tragic gun violence: the Buffalo racially-motivated shooting in a predominantly Black neighborhood on May 14 and the Texas slaughter of 19 children and two teachers ten days later.
WORLD Channel, which released the documentary, noted that it recognizes the victims and the loss by their families, and acknowledges the violence fueled by the racist hate and extremism that persists in the American narrative and continues to impact communities of color in America.
“Crossroads was scheduled into our programming in advance of the recent tragedy. The film is one of many in a series of resilience and hope, sharing how a community comes together following a horrific loss, and represents strength in the face of senseless violence,” it added.
The documentary was produced by Sarita Khurana.
FedEx operates one of its largest US-based hubs in Indianapolis, where over 80% of the employees are South Asians/Punjabi. In April 2021, former Fedex worker Brandon Scott Hole opened fire, killing eight and injuring several others. While the Sikh community grieves the loss of four of its members, the police and FBI conclude their investigations by declaring the mass shooting not as a hate crime. Many, like Amrith Kaur Aaakre of the Sikh Coalition, question the transparency and findings, including why Indiana’s Red Flag Law was not pursued by the prosecutor’s office; the law could have prevented the shooter from purchasing more firearms. As the community rebounds from the tragedy, the local Gurdwaras continue to be a source of healing, strength and resilience for all.
RELATED STORY:
Four Sikhs, including a grandmother, among 8 killed in Indianapolis FedEx mass shooting (Asia Samachar, 17 April 2021)
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