Los Angeles: The police shot dead a Sikh man for performing ‘Gatka’ in the middle of the road. The incident that took place in July came to light recently after the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) released a video.
According to the police, Gurpreet Singh (35) was wielding a machete near Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles and was shot dead after he refused to comply and tried to attack the cops. The “machete” being claimed by the police seems to be a “khanda” – a double-edged sword used while performing ‘Gatka’.
‘Gatka’ is a traditional form of martial art that has its roots in Punjab. It incorporates various weapons, including swords, spears, shields, and sticks. It is usually performed during Sikh religious and cultural events.
The incident took place on the morning of July 13. The police were informed of a man brandishing a 2-foot blade at passers-by at a busy intersection near Olympic Boulevard.
The bodycam footage released by the LAPD shows the Sikh man, wearing just a vest, shorts and a blue turban, wielding the sword in the middle of the road. However, he is not seen threatening anybody.
After reaching the scene, police officers repeatedly instructed the man to drop the sword. However, he refused and even went on to cut his tongue with the sword, ABC7 reported.
“Officers gave multiple commands for Singh to drop the weapon,” police said.
As the cops moved towards him, he threw a bottle before attempting to flee the spot in his car. With police behind him, the man drove erratically and struck multiple vehicles on his way before coming to a stop, the report said. All along, he continued to wave the sword from his car’s window.
Police claimed that they opened fire after the man charged at them with the sword. Singh was then rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to bullet injuries. The video reveals that several shots were fired at Singh. Netizens have questioned why the man was not brought down with a shot to the leg.
