Balbir Singh and Frank Roque: Among the tragedies of 9/11, a story of overcoming hate
On September 11, 2001, Balbir Singh Sodhi, a 49-year-old Sikh man, was shot dead outside his gas station in Mesa, Arizona, during the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. This tragic incident marked the first Sikh victim of hate crimes in the United States. Twenty-five years later, Balbir's story is one of overcoming hate. In 2013-14, the Sodhi family reached out to Frank Roque, the man who shot Balbir five times, while he was serving a life sentence in prison.
In a 2016 phone call, they forgave him, seeking peace for themselves and others affected by the tragic events.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
