California authorities bust Sikh gang suspects in years-long street war that started with sword attack

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More than two dozen men have been arrested in relation to two warring criminal groups whose rivalry was allegedly responsible for a series of shootings and attacks in California, authorities said Monday.

Sutter County District Attorney Jennifer Dupré said the two syndicates were responsible for multiple shootings where 11 people were shot, including five people at a Sikh temple in Stockton last year and two more victims at a temple in Sacramento last month.

None of the victims died. All of the suspects arrested are part of the Sikh community and were members of two rival groups, authorities said. 

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"This started out as one group, and one faction broke off, and since then they have been rivals trying to outdo each other. Mainly they show up places and try to shoot each other," Dupré said, comparing it to the U.S. Civil War "where brothers were fighting against brothers."

Sutter County District Attorney Jennifer Dupré speaks at a news conference in Yuba City, Calif., on Monday. Dupré announced the arrest of more than a dozen people on charges including conspiracy to commit murder. Dupré says the men are members of one of two rival syndicates in the Sikh community responsible for a series of shootings. (AP)

The violence began at a 2018 Sikh parade in Yuba City, 45 miles north of Sacramento, where a man was attacked with a sword. The incident then evolved into shootings, including one at a 2021 wedding party. The violence attracted attention from law enforcement, which began investigating along with state and federal agencies. 

In March, a shooting occurred at a Sikh parade where two people were shot, Dupre said. Authorities arrested seven people and seized four handguns, two shot guns and large capacity magazines in two cars before they made it to the parade. 

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"If those weapons had gotten into the parade, it could have been a bloodbath," Dupré said.

In total, 41 guns were seized during the investigation and 17 people were arrested. They were identified as Karandeep Singh, Pardeep Singh, Pavittar Singh, Husandeep Singh, Sahajpreet Singh, Harkirat Singh, Tirath Ram, Dharamvir Singh, Jobanjit Singh, Gurvinder Singh, Nitish Kaushal, Gurminder Singh Kang, Devender Singh, Karambir Gill, Rajeev Ranjan, Jobanpreet Singh and Singh Dhesi.

Five others have not been arrested but are being sought. The arrested are not related to the murders last year of a Sikh family in the San Joaquin Valley, which included the killings of an 8-month-old baby, the baby’s parents and an uncle, Dupre said. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.