Sikhs Honor Officer Wounded During 2012 Temple Massacre

A Maryland-based Sikh organization has honored retired police officer Brian Murphy of the Oak Creek (Wis.) Police Department for his service when a gunman killed six worshippers at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin. During the incident, Murphy was shot 12 times.

The Guru Gobind Singh Foundation, a Maryland-based Sikh advocacy organization, honored Murphy on Sunday— on Vaisakhi Day, a Sikh holy day — with a Sewa (service) Award, given annually to someone who has contributed to the Sikh community, the Religious News Service reports.

“We are highly grateful to him for his sacrifice and exemplary service to the law and order and providing protection to all citizens of Oak Creek, including the members of the Sikh community in Wisconsin,” said Inder Paul Singh Gadh, chairman of the foundation. Murphy, the first officer on the scene, deterred what could have been a “much bigger massacre of Sikhs who were still trapped inside the gurdwara (temple),” Gadh said.