From News Dispatches
Spanish, Utha: The Shri Shri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, Utah, was targeted by gunfire three times in June, in what authorities and temple leaders suspect to be a series of hate-motivated attacks. Approximately 20 to 30 bullets were fired at the temple and its surrounding property during nighttime hours, while devotees and guests were present. The damage includes shattered windows, pierced walls, and destruction to hand-carved arches in the main worship space. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported, but the incidents have left the community deeply shaken and alarmed.
Security camera footage captured a vehicle pulling up to the temple gates before gunfire erupted, lighting up the early morning darkness. Roughly 30 shell casings were recovered at the scene by the Utah County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating the incidents as acts of vandalism. However, temple leaders and volunteers are convinced the nature and timing of the attacks indicate a more disturbing motive.
"This is not just vandalism," said Vai Warden, the president and co-founder of the temple. "This is hate-motivated aggression." Warden emphasized that the temple has peacefully coexisted with the local community for over two decades without any prior threats or incidents. The temple, a significant spiritual and cultural site built in the early 1990s, sits atop a 15-acre property adorned with peacocks, llamas, cows, and ornate architecture. It also hosts Utah’s annual Festival of Colors, attracting thousands from diverse backgrounds.
The temple's co-founder, Vaibhavi Devi Dasi, estimated that thousands of dollars in repairs will be needed. She noted that the bullets pierced through an arched window in the temple's worship room and continued across the interior, settling in the opposite wall. One of the initial bullets struck a radio station located on the temple grounds, and subsequent attacks caused visible structural damage, including to irreplaceable decorative features.
Volunteers and residents are disturbed by the recurrence and escalation of the attacks. One volunteer, Krishna Presthaya Dasi, recounted being awakened at 5 a.m. by a barrage of 13 gunshots. “Some of our volunteers are too frightened to continue helping. One has already left because of this,” she said. The repeated assaults have turned what was once a sanctuary for interfaith peace and reflection into a scene of anxiety and concern.
The Utah County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate, urging anyone with information to come forward. A $1,000 reward has been announced for tips that lead to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator(s). Despite multiple requests, the sheriff's office has yet to provide an official interview, but confirmed that their Investigations Division is handling the case.
India's Consulate General in San Francisco issued a strong condemnation of the attack, extending full support to the temple and urging local authorities to act swiftly. “Hate crimes driven by bias against national origin or any other protected characteristic, including religion, are a direct assault on the principles of equality and justice,” said Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.
These attacks come amid a disturbing national rise in religious hate crimes. FBI data reviewed by CBS News shows a near doubling of such crimes between 2021 and 2023. In recent months, churches, synagogues, and temples across the United States have experienced arson, vandalism, and targeted violence.
For the Krishna Temple community in Utah, the priority now is healing and ensuring that such aggression never occurs again. “We want to restore peace here,” said Warden. “This temple has always been a place where people from all faiths come together. We must protect that spirit.”
