Buffalo brings up painful memories of Oak Creek hate attack

 

OAK CREEK, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The recent tragedy in Buffalo, New York brings up painful memories of a 2012 attack in Oak Creek, but also a call to action.

Pardeep Kaleka lost his father in the Sikh Temple shooting almost 10 years ago and has since worked to combat hate and reform racist extremism, but fears these kinds of attacks will only get worse.

"This can happen anywhere, at almost any time," Kaleka said.

Kaleka and Arno Michaelis, a reformed white supremacist, started on organization called "Serve 2 Unite," which works with young people to promote non-violence.

Kaleka is now part of "Parents 4 Peace," which can intervene if someone shows signs of hateful extremism.

"There is almost always warning signs that someone is going to do something harmful to somebody else or themselves," Kaleka said.

There were warning signs in Buffalo. The accused gunman was sent for evaluation in June 2021 after he threatened a shooting at his high school. But he later fell off law enforcement's radar, and earlier this year bought the rifle investigators say was used in the deadly attack.

"Every mental health practitioner should understand the dynamics of hate and how to address it, and how to get somebody deradicalized," Kaleka said.

Kaleka says somewhere in America, the next Payton Gendron is planning their attack right now, and it is up to all of us to stop it.

"Everyone as a society, we need to get more attuned to seeing on those warning signs, and acting on those warning signs," he said.

If you suspect a loved one is about to commit an act of violence call 1-844-49-PEACE.

More information on Parents 4 Peace can be found HERE.