Surveillance video shows naked, sword-wielding man in Sikh temple after alleged break in

Washington : Jeffery Pittman made his first court appearance Friday afternoon. According to new court documents, he told detectives after walking into the temple through an unlocked door, he smelled something burning. They say he then took off his clothes and soaked them in water “to prevent them from burning.” He used two fire extinguishers throughout the temple. Those court documents say he believed he was destroying a Muslim mosque, and he thought the holy book he ripped up was a Qur’an. In reality, that was the Sikh scripture — Guru Granth Sahib. Those court documents say Pittman told detectives he “became delusional upon seeing the swords and other religious symbols and believed he was in a church used by ISIS and the Taliban.” He also admitted to using meth three days before and drinking that night. Temple member Subarna Nagra said the temple appreciated the community standing in solidarity with the Sikh people in a difficult time.
“We love being here. Thanks for your commitment,” Nagra said.
In a statement released Friday afternoon, the Sikh Coalition said, ” In the wake of the San Bernardino attacks and the increased charged presidential political rhetoric aimed at minority communities across America, the Sikh American community has seen a sizable uptick in cases of hate crimes and backlash over the past four months. The Sikh Coalition, the largest Sikh civil rights organization in the U.S., estimates that there has been a 300% increase in these cases since December.”The Spokane Valley Sikh Temple said they plan to hold an open house for the community in the future.