• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Film/TV/Stream
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Tech/Science
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Kylie Minogue pays tribute to Olivia Newton-John and hails her as ‘inspiration’
  • Jane Lynch Departing Broadway Show ‘Funny Girl’ Earlier Than Expected — Is Lea Michele To Blame?
  • Inside Demi Lovato’s ‘Happy’ & ‘Healthy’ Romance With New Mystery Man

Gay Immigrant Satendar Singh Killed in Holiday Hate Crime

Andy Towle July 13, 2007

A few days before the 4th of July holiday, 26-year-old Satendar Singh, a Fijian national who India-West says “won a visa to the U.S. through the immigration lottery” was targeted and killed by attackers at Lake Natoma, California while picnicking allegedly because of his race and sexuality.

Satender_singhFriends say “an ugly attack laced with racist and homophobic slurs” led up to a group of Russian men attacking Singh with their fists, and some say, brass knuckles.

The attack was unprovoked, say friends: “The group had arrived at the lake at approximately 2 that afternoon. According to various accounts later recounted in the Sacramento Bee, a group of Russian men nearby began directing their comments toward Singh, an employee with a local AT&T call center who had been in this country for seven years. Despite his last name, Singh wore neither a turban nor a beard, aside from a small goatee. As he and his friends settled in to enjoy an early Fourth of July celebration, the Russian men began making several racial and homophobic remarks to Singh. ‘I’m not pretty sure, but I think (Singh) responded by saying he wasn’t a gay,’ one of Singh’s friends who witnessed the incident and who preferred to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, told India-West. ‘I told them we had come to enjoy the day and that we didn’t want to get into a fight or something, and I thought it was all over.'”

But it wasn’t over.

Lakenatoma“‘They were targeting him because Satendar was dancing to Indian music throughout the rest of the day, like the rest of us…I don’t know what (the Russians) were saying or if Satendar said something back, but then it happened,’ the witness said. One of the men from the Russian group came over and hit Singh in the face. Some witnesses claim that Singh’s attacker had assaulted him with a ‘knuckle duster’ or pair of brass knuckles, but the witness could not confirm that any such weapon was used. The blow caused Singh to fall and hit his head on the concrete pavement. Almost immediately, he began bleeding from the head. After handing his phone to a woman standing next to him, ‘I ran after the guy and he threw a bottle at me, but I couldn’t catch him,’ he told India-West.”

Singh, who had been living in America for seven years, died four days later of head trauma sustained in the attack. Police are investigating the attack as a homicide while trying to gather evidence on its status as a hate crime.

Equality California has jumped on the case. Said Executive Director Geoff Kors: “First and foremost our thoughts go out to Mr. Singh, his family and his friends. If the attack on Mr. Singh turns out to be motivated by hate against any particular group, California’s hate crimes law can and should be applied. This potential hate crime reminds us that it is time for the federal hate crimes statute to catch up to be similarly inclusive. We need to embrace policies that encourage people to respect our diverse society. If the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department asked for help from the federal government in this case, federal law enforcement officials could get involved if the crime turns out to be motivated by racial bias, but not if it was prompted only by anti-LGBT bias. That gross inconsistency needs to change.”

Young Fiji Indian Killed in Alleged Hate Crime Incident [india west]
Legislation Follows Brutal Racist/Homophobic Attack [san francisco bay times]

Topics: Music, News, Society More Posts About: California, California, crime, Fiji, gay slurs, immigration, News

Related Posts
  • Newsom’s attack ad on DeSantis could be 2024 presidential preview
  • S.I. Revisits A Sportscaster’s Apology For An On-Air Gay Slur And The Home-Run Hitter Who Interrupted It And Has Interrupted Somber Moments Since
  • Suspect Charged In Shocking, Brazen Brooklyn LGBTQ Bar Fire. Caught on Video Pouring Gasoline and Setting the Blaze
  • Jane Lynch Departing Broadway Show ‘Funny Girl’ Earlier Than Expected — Is Lea Michele To Blame?

    Jane Lynch Departing Broadway Show ‘Funny Girl’ Earlier Than Expected — Is Lea Michele To Blame?

    Published by OK Magazine mega Jane Lynch will be leaving the Broadway production of Funny Girl in mid-August as opposed to early September. The actress, who had been playing Mrs. Brice, a.k.a. Fanny’s mother, last show …Read More »
  • Inside Demi Lovato’s ‘Happy’ & ‘Healthy’ Romance With New Mystery Man

    Inside Demi Lovato’s ‘Happy’ & ‘Healthy’ Romance With New Mystery Man

    Published by OK Magazine mega Demi Lovato has a new man in her life! The “Skyscraper” vocalist, who recently changed her pronouns back to she/her, has reportedly found love with a mystery musician. mega “It’s a …Read More »
  • Ivanka Trump All Smiles With Husband Jared Kushner As They Step Out For Date Night Hours After FBI Raids Mar-a-Lago

    Ivanka Trump All Smiles With Husband Jared Kushner As They Step Out For Date Night Hours After FBI Raids Mar-a-Lago

    Published by Radar Online MEGA; Chris Kleponis – Pool via CNP / MEGA Ivanka Trump looked carefree during a low-key date night with husband Jared Kushner on Monday, smiling and laughing just hours after her father …Read More »
  • FOX News Host Tucker Carlson ‘Deeply Concerned’ Text Messages Between Him & Alex Jones Will Leak To Public

    FOX News Host Tucker Carlson ‘Deeply Concerned’ Text Messages Between Him & Alex Jones Will Leak To Public

    Published by Radar Online Mega Fox News host Tucker Carlson is “deeply concerned” a number of text messages between him and Alex Jones may soon leak to the public, Radar has learned. The shocking development comes …Read More »
Previous Post: « Postcard from Bali
Next Post: Beatlemania vs. Beckham-mania: A Tale of Two British Invasions »

Primary Sidebar

Adjacent News

  • Texas church’s unauthorized production of ‘Hamilton’ ends with sermon comparing gay people to drug addicts: report

    Texas church’s unauthorized production of ‘Hamilton’ ends with sermon comparing gay people to drug addicts: report

  • Alex Jones’ Text Messages Turned Over To January 6 House Select Committee

    Alex Jones’ Text Messages Turned Over To January 6 House Select Committee

  • Michigan AG details Trump backers’ conspiracy to break into voting equipment

    Michigan AG details Trump backers’ conspiracy to break into voting equipment

Good Trash: Going to Read It Somewhere, Y’know

  • Pete Davidson Proposed to Kim Kardashian Before Their Breakup

    Pete Davidson Proposed to Kim Kardashian Before Their Breakup

  • New bombshell book on Trump reveals he wanted to be treated like Hitler: ‘Totally loyal’

    New bombshell book on Trump reveals he wanted to be treated like Hitler: ‘Totally loyal’

RSS Partner Links

  • There's a Status Update About 'Black Canary' Spinoff Movie at HBO Max
  • OMG, it’s called FASHUN, LOOK IT UP! The Croc Balls aka ‘Crocticles’
  • The Future Of “The Peltz Beckham Empire” Is Uncertain As The Beckham And Peltz Families Continue To Feud
  • OMG, have you heard? RIP Grease star Olivia Newton-John, dead at 73
  • Open Post: Hosted By The $2600 Custom Coffee Table That Showed Up Sporting An Unintentional Dick In the Middle
  • More tributes to Olivia Newton-John
  • OMG, he’s naked: Fashion model and swim coach Radu Ionut goes full-frontal

Most Recent

  • Kylie Minogue pays tribute to Olivia Newton-John and hails her as ‘inspiration’

    Kylie Minogue pays tribute to Olivia Newton-John and hails her as ‘inspiration’

  • Jane Lynch Departing Broadway Show ‘Funny Girl’ Earlier Than Expected — Is Lea Michele To Blame?

    Jane Lynch Departing Broadway Show ‘Funny Girl’ Earlier Than Expected — Is Lea Michele To Blame?

  • Inside Demi Lovato’s ‘Happy’ & ‘Healthy’ Romance With New Mystery Man

    Inside Demi Lovato’s ‘Happy’ & ‘Healthy’ Romance With New Mystery Man

  • Ivanka Trump All Smiles With Husband Jared Kushner As They Step Out For Date Night Hours After FBI Raids Mar-a-Lago

    Ivanka Trump All Smiles With Husband Jared Kushner As They Step Out For Date Night Hours After FBI Raids Mar-a-Lago

  • FOX News Host Tucker Carlson ‘Deeply Concerned’ Text Messages Between Him & Alex Jones Will Leak To Public

    FOX News Host Tucker Carlson ‘Deeply Concerned’ Text Messages Between Him & Alex Jones Will Leak To Public

  • Jane Seymour says Olivia Newton-John ‘was beyond a fighter’ at dealing with her breast cancer diagnosis

    Jane Seymour says Olivia Newton-John ‘was beyond a fighter’ at dealing with her breast cancer diagnosis

  • Donald Trump’s Former Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham Claims She Watched Him ‘Rip Up’ & ‘Throw Out’ Documents

    Donald Trump’s Former Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham Claims She Watched Him ‘Rip Up’ & ‘Throw Out’ Documents

  • Donald Trump Preparing To File Restraining Order Against Government Over Mar-A-Lago Raid

    Donald Trump Preparing To File Restraining Order Against Government Over Mar-A-Lago Raid

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

Footer

Copyright © 2022 · Log in

×