Balbir Singh Sodhi - Mesa, AZ
N 33° 25.355 W 111° 39.553
12S E 438713 N 3698330
Memorial to a man who died as a result of 9/11, and to those who fell on that day.
Waymark Code: WMCJ7G
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 09/11/2011
Views: 19
September 15, 2001. As our country mourned those who died on 9/11, and grieved over the horrors of that day, one man decided to take action against those who flew the planes that day.
He chose to kill.
Balbir Singh Sodhi was born in India and moved to the US in 1989. He was an American citizen, patriotic and proud. He was a Sikh, not a muslim. He deplored the events of 9/11. He donated money to 9/11 survivors funds and bought an American flag for his store the very morning he was killed. Yet he wore a turban and had a beard. He looked different and for that he was murdered, gunned down in front of his store in a vicious hate crime.
His killer (who is not worth mentioning by name) was convicted and sentenced to prison.
His memorial plaque reads:
In memory of all the souls who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 and all of the backlash victims.
"We dont want any other innocent people hurt."
- the family of Balbir Singh Sodhi
Balbir Singh Sodhi
1949 - 2001
On Saturday, September 15, 2001, Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh, was shot here at this corner while planting flowers in front of this shop. In the tradition of the Sikh faith, he wore a turban and beard. He was killed simply because of the way he looked.
Name of organization that built the memorial: his family
Private or Public Monument?: Private
Text on the memorial:
see above
Date of Dedication: Not listed
Physical address of memorial: Not listed
Additional coordinates: Not Listed
Website for more information: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
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