E-Paper
Sikh truck driver stabbed 17 times in US; Rep Raja Krishnamoorthi slams ‘rising hatred’ amid deportation post row
A Sikh truck driver was stabbed 17 times at a Wyoming rest stop earlier this week, prompting concern among South Asian and Sikh communities in the US.
Prefer HTon Google
A Sikh truck driver was stabbed 17 times at a Wyoming rest stop earlier this week, prompting concern among South Asian and Sikh communities in the US and drawing condemnation from Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi.
The driver, identified by NPR only by his surname, Singh, was attacked early Sunday at a rest area in southern Wyoming while travelling to Pennsylvania. Singh told NPR that he was followed into a bathroom, beaten and then stabbed repeatedly, including in the neck. He later managed to leave the restroom and seek help.
Singh, who lives in Sacramento, California, said he had stopped at the rest area several times previously and had never experienced problems there. He described the attack as unprovoked and said he did not know why he was targeted.
Who is Singh, the Wyoming stabbing victim?
Singh is a Punjabi Sikh truck driver who has worked in the trucking industry for about three years. He asked NPR to identify him only by his last name because he feared for his safety.
After the stabbing, Singh was taken to hospital with multiple injuries, including wounds to his chest and ribs. He told NPR that a Hispanic family at the rest stop helped tend to his injuries and seek medical assistance.
“They [gave] me the second life,” Singh said.
The Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office arrested 45-year-old Andrew Kris Bzdak in connection with the attack. Charging documents cited by NPR show that Bzdak faces a charge of attempted first-degree murder. The documents do not identify a motive for the attack.
Raja Krishnamoorthi condemns attack
Krishnamoorthi, a Democratic congressman said he was “horrified” by the attack and linked his concerns to what he described as growing anti-Sikh and anti-South Asian rhetoric.
In a statement on X, Krishnamoorthi said those spreading hate, including officials in the federal government, should stop and called for accountability for those responsible for violence. He also expressed concern for Singh's recovery and thanked the family that helped him after the stabbing.
Krishnamoorthi's comments came days after he criticized a Department of Homeland Security social media post that used the name “Mr. Singh” in an immigration enforcement graphic.
The DHS post, which was later removed, showed a Sikh-looking man alongside the words “Get off our roads” and “self-deport or find out.” DHS told NPR that the image referred to Harjinder Singh, an Indian immigrant truck driver accused of making an illegal U-turn that preceded a fatal Florida crash.
Also read: H-1B, US citizenship in focus as Texas Republican Chip Roy backs sweeping immigration changes
Krishnamoorthi had previously condemned the post, saying that using a common Sikh surname in such a message risked demonizing an entire community.
No motive established in Wyoming stabbing
Authorities have not said that the Wyoming stabbing was motivated by race, religion or the victim's immigration status.
The attack has nevertheless heightened concerns among Sikh truck drivers. Raman Dhillon of the North American Punjabi Trucking Association told NPR that truck drivers had contacted him with concerns about their safety following the incident.
Stop AAPI Hate said in a report published this month that online slurs targeting South Asians increased 109% between January 2023 and December 2025. The organization attributed the increase to several developments, including debates over H-1B visas, the Florida truck crash, President Donald Trump's re-election and Zohran Mamdani's New York mayoral campaign.
Singh said he was aware of the rhetoric targeting his community but continued driving because he needed to work. While recovering in hospital, he said he was worried about medical bills, lost work and the safety of other Sikh truck drivers.
“I am just worried … it can happen again,” Singh told NPR.
