Sim Sangha visited a Dick’s Sporting Goods store in Fremont, CA to inquire about purchasing 8 boxes of ammunition commonly used in AR15-pattern rifles. Sangha, a certified firearms instructor preparing to apply to the LAPD, did not buy any ammo, and instead purchased an exercise mask. On Friday, December 11th, she was surprised when two police officers showed up at her home to investigate allegedly suspicious behavior. An employee from Dick’s contacted law enforcement concerned that Sangha might be involved in terrorist activity.
Ms. Sangha, an Indian American woman, feels Dick’s alerted law enforcement about her ammunition purchase inquiry due to racial profiling. “I have tons of friends who are both law enforcement officers and normal citizens here, and they purchase ammunition all the time in bulk, before the San Bernardino shootings and after that incident as well”, Sangha said. She assumes the decision to report her is based upon her appearance as a Sikh: “The singled me out. They singled me out because of the way I look.”
A spokeswoman for the Fremont PD said officers have been on high alert following the San Bernardino shooting, in which a Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik used AR-15 rifles to carry out a terrorist attack at a holiday party leaving 14 dead, and have a responsibility to investigate all reports of possible terrorism. Upon learning there was nothing suspicious about the purchase inquiry, police officers issued an apology to Ms. Sangha.
At this time, Dick’s Sporting Goods has not issued a comment.
