Gilbert Garcia | American Turban

Gilbert Garcia has been arrested in the assault on 82-year-old Piara Singh on May 5 in Fresno, California. (source: Crime Voice)

Attacker of Fresno, CA, Sikh senior deemed unfit to stand trial

October 23, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Back in May, Gilbert Garcia attacked an elderly Sikh man named Piara Singh with a metal rod outside a Gurdwara in Fresno, California. Piara Singh, 82 years old, was hospitalized due to the injuries he sustained that included severe head injuries and collapsed lung. He was discharged home where he is recovering from his injuries. The attack was quickly deemed a hate crime based on statements made by Garcia after the attack. On Monday, after a third medical evaluation, it […]

Categories: Hate Crimes • Tags: California, Fresno, Gilbert Garcia, hate crime, hate crimes, Piara Singh

Attacker of Fresno, CA, Sikh senior charged with hate crime

May 30, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Gilbert Garcia, who is accused of brutally attacking 82-year-old Piara Singh on May 5 as he walked home from a Gurdwara in Fresno, California, has now been also charged with a hate crime. Garcia was initially charged with attempted murder and elderly abuse as well, for which he has pleaded not guilty. Interestingly, shortly after the assault, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer strongly suggested that the attack on Piara Singh was a hate crime, and it was reported that Garcia […]

Categories: Hate Crimes • Tags: California, Fresno, Gilbert Garcia, hate crimes, Piara Singh

Rethinking the hate crime villain

May 14, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

After the attack on 82-year-old Piara Singh in Fresno, California, nine days ago, Preeti Kaur (on her blog The Longest There) considers the suspected perpetrator and delves into the meaning of “hate crime”: The term hate-crime is a peculiar term. Others have discussed the definition of hate-crimes and need for such a delineation, of course, but for me its peculiarity is that in the act of describing a hate-crime as a hate-crime, the biggest offense becomes the hate, and the crime […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Reflections • Tags: California, Fresno, Gilbert Garcia, hate crimes, Piara Singh, Preeti Kaur, The Longest There

Fresno Police: Piara Singh was targeted for who he was

May 8, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“Mr. Singh was targeted because of who he was, what he was wearing, his ethnicity, his religion.” — Fresno Police Department Chief Jerry Dyer speaks at last night’s community meeting in Fresno, California, addressing the vicious assault of 82-year-old Piara Singh on Sunday. Sikh24 reports that Piara Singh is likely to be discharged from hospital tonight. According to the Associated Press, Gilbert Garcia, the only suspect, has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and elder abuse charges, and that hate […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes • Tags: California, Fresno, Fresno Police Department, Gilbert Garcia, Jerry Dyer, Piara Singh