The Murder of Balbir Singh Sodhi

September 17, 2001

Source: The Arizona Republic

http://www.arizonarepublic.com/news/articles/0917attacks-hate17.html

On September 17, 2001, The Arizona Republic reported that "Hundreds of people across the Valley on Sunday mourned the slaying in Mesa of a Sikh gas station owner whose only crime, his loved ones say, was that he looked Arabic and wore a turban." The article continued, "Throughout the weekend, hundreds of Valley residents visited the makeshift shrine set up at a vacant lot across from the Chevron station where Balbir, the oldest of four brothers who lived in the Valley, was killed. There was an old cowboy hat, and dozens of candles with notes taped to them...Groups of children paid their respects to the man who they say would smile and give them sweets for free. 'He never seemed to be sad until he saw what happened Tuesday,' Elissa Marson, 12, said."