Sikh truck driver stabbed 17 times in US days after Team Trump's 'Mr Singh' post
The driver, who identified himself only by his surname, Singh, said the attack took place after another man followed him into a bathroom at the Bitter Creek Rest Area along Interstate 80 early Sunday morning.
A 28-year-old Punjabi Sikh truck driver from Sacramento was stabbed 17 times at a rest area in Wyoming, United States, leaving him hospitalised with injuries to his neck, chest, arms and ribs.
According to a report by NPR, the driver, who identified himself only by his surname, Singh, said the attack took place after another man followed him into a bathroom at the Bitter Creek Rest Area along Interstate 80 early Sunday morning. Singh told NPR that he was using the washroom while travelling towards Pennsylvania when the attacker suddenly assaulted him and pulled out a knife. He suffered multiple stab wounds to his neck, chest, arms and ribs before managing to escape the restroom, after which he collapsed outside and called for help.
The stabbing occurred a few days after the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted an AI-generated Transformer-style graphic, targeting a Sikh person named 'Singh' as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration and immigrant truck drivers. The movie-style poster titled “Transformers: Age of Deportations, showed a large Transformer bearing a DHS insignia facing a Sikh man wearing a head covering.
The poster also carried a message, “America for Americans. Get off our roads; you don't know how to drive, Mr Singh.” It also urged people to “self-deport”.
HOW WAS THE MAN RESCUED?
As the truck driver cried for help, a Hispanic family at the rest stop heard the commotion and helped Singh by trying to attend to his wounds and provide medical help.
The family also gave police information about the suspect's truck. After learning about the incident, the Wyoming Highway Patrol stopped the vehicle near Rawlins, about 113 kilometres from the rest area, and arrested the suspect, identified as Andrew Kris Bzdak.
Bzdak has been charged with attempted first-degree murder. Authorities have not established a motive for the attack.
Singh, who has been driving trucks commercially for around three years, remained in hospital as of Wednesday. He said the attack has left him worried about the safety of other Punjabi Sikh truck drivers travelling across the United States.
I’M HORRIFIED: INDIAN-ORIGIN CONGRESSMAN REACTS TO ATTACK
Raja Krishnamoorthi, the Indian-origin Congressman and a member of the Democratic Party, strongly condemned the attack, as he said that he was horrified by the growing hatred against Indian immigrants in the United States.
"I’m horrified by the brutal attack on a Sikh truck driver who was stabbed 17 times at a Wyoming rest stop. This comes amid rising hatred targeting Sikh and South Asian Americans, with even the Trump Department of Homeland Security recently posting a racist caricature of a Sikh truck driver telling him to "get off our roads" and "self-deport or find out," he wrote on X.
He also urged the citizens of the United States to stand against the people who are spreading hatred in the US and turning violent.
"Those spreading this hate, including officials in our own federal government, need to stop. Those who turn it into violence must be held accountable. And all of us need to stand together against both. America must be better than this. I’m praying for Mr Singh’s full recovery and grateful to the family whose quick action helped save his life," he added.
DHS FACED BACKLASH OVER POST
Hours after posting the graphic on its X account, the Department of Homeland Security drew massive criticism for spreading racism against Indian immigrants.
Sikh-American news anchor Alec Nolan of Fox 7 Austin described the post as “racist and demeaning” towards people with the surname Singh, while sharing his family’s own history in the United States.
“My grandpa’s name was Dan Singh. His father, Katha Singh, came to America from India decades ago to seek a better life. He became a raisin farmer in California,” Nolan said.
He added that his grandfather later took over the family business and also worked as a truck driver. “This post is racist and demeaning to anyone with the last name Singh,” he said.
A user on social media slammed the DHS, writing, “DHS used to protect the homeland. Now making AI movie posters targeting Sikhs?” The user urged the Department of Homeland Security to focus on alleged commercial driving licence fraud instead of what the user described as “racist posters.”
Following severe backlash, the DHS removed the post from its account the next day.