Elk Grove to Consider Naming Park After Suspected Hate Crime Murder Victims

July 26, 2016 |

At tomorrow night's meeting, the Elk Grove City Council will consider naming a new park in the City after two men who slain over five years ago.

The council have been asked to name a new park located in memory of two men, Surinder Singh and Gurmej Singh Atwal (pictured above), who were murdered five years ago while they walked along an Elk Grove street.

According to the staff report that recommends naming the park after the two men, "The proposed name ‘Singh and Kaur Park’ is in memorial for the two men that have passed and in recognition of their families they leave behind and the community that embraced them. The use of both ‘Singh’ and ‘Kaur’ was proposed to represent not only the men who had died but also the wives they left behind. It is important to note that ‘Kaur’ is the common last name used for women in the culture of the Sikh community."

The proposal to name the park in memory of the two men was submitted by the American Sikh Public Affairs Association. Speaking on behalf of the organization was board member Amar Shergill who said not only does naming the park after the two men honor them and their families, it is a reflection of how the community united after the tragic events in March, 2011. 

“It’s been five years since we lost two family patriarchs that represented the heart and soul of Elk Grove," Shergill said. "By naming this park in their memory, we honor them and the amazing spirit of Elk Grove that prevailed after the horrific crime."

The two men were murdered as they walked along a sidewalk on East Stockton Boulevard on Elk Grove's north side and it is believed they were targeted. There have been no arrests made in the case in what has been considered a hate crime and it remains unsolved.  

"We hope that, by keeping their names and this story alive, a witness may come forward and help bring the criminal to justice,” Shergill added.