The suspected hate crime shooting of a Sikh man at his home in Seattle at the weekend is now being pursued as a federal civil rights investigation, the FBI says.
The Seattle Times newspaper reported that the partially-masked gunman, after exchanging words with the victim, said "Go back to your own country" before pulling the trigger, shooting him in the arm.
“The FBI is working with the Kent Police Department and will collect all available facts and evidence to determine if there is a federal civil-rights violation,” spokeswoman for the FBI's Seattle office Amy Dietrich-Williams confirmed with The Seattle Times.
“As this is an ongoing investigation we are not able to comment further at this time.”
The federal investigation will occur in conjunction with the criminal investigation being conducted by Kent police.
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The daily also reported that police are continuing to search for the gunman.
Jasmit Singh, a leader of the Sikh community near Seattle, told The Seattle Times that the victim was released from hospital on Sunday after being treated for a gunshot wound to the arm.
"He is just very shaken up, both him and his family," Singh said.
"We're all kind of at a loss in terms of what's going on right now, this is just bringing it home. The climate of hate that has been created doesn't distinguish between anyone."
The incident follows a shooting at a Kansas bar last month that killed 32-year-old engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, causing shockwaves felt around the country.
A second Indian engineer, Alok Madasani, was injured in the Kansas shooting carried out by a white gunman whom witnesses said screamed racial slurs and told his victims to "get out of my country" before opening fire.
New York-based national organisation the Sikh Coalition has applauded the decision to pursue the Seattle matter as a hate crime investigation.
“We are thankful for everything that local authorities are doing to locate the suspect and protect the Sikh community," Program Manager Rajdeep Singh said.
“We are all accountable for what happened in Kent, Washington on Friday night,” Jasmit Singh added.
“From the gunman’s family and friends who can help bring him to justice, to our elected officials who create public policy at home and in Washington DC, we all must do more to confront this growing epidemic of hate violence.”
The Southern Poverty Law Centre has recorded a spike in bias-related incidents relating to harrassment and intimidation since President Trump was elected.
With AFP
