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Suspect In Sikh Temple Shooting That Killed 6 In Wisconsin Has Colorado Ties

DENVER (CBS4) - The man who opened fire inside a temple in Wisconsin Sunday morning has ties to Colorado.

Army veteran Wade Michael Page, 40, lived in Centennial, Englewood, Littleton and Denver at various times from the 1990s to 2007. CBS4 reported he was arrested in 1999 in Denver on a DUI offense.

The Denver District Attorney's Office says Page never met the conditions of his plea deal and a warrant was issued. But he was never picked up on that warrant and the case was closed in 2007.

A former neighbor of Page's in Littleton says he recognized him right away.

"By looking at him, you'd never know something like this would happen," said the neighbor, who didn't want to be identified. "He was just a regular Joe, come and go and he was a nice guy."

The shooting happened at a Sikh temple in the suburban Milwaukee town of Oak Creek. Seven people were killed, including Page. Three others remained in critical condition Monday morning.

RELATED: Investigators Seek Motive In Sikh Temple Shooting That Killed 6

SWAT team officers and several police agencies swarmed the temple at about 10:30 a.m. as worshipers gathered for Sunday morning services.

Police say page used a 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol.

Police shot and killed Page.

Wade Page mugshot from North Carolina, as provided by Milwaukee CBS
Wade Michael Page as seen in a mugshot out of North Carolina (credit: CBS)

The Southern Poverty Law Center civil rights group has identified Wade as a known white supremacist. CBS News is reporting that the shootings may have been a possible hate crime, but nothing has been confirmed.

Photos on MySpace show the U.S. Army veteran performing in a band described by some as a skinhead group. He joined the Army in 1992 and was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. He was reportedly discharged in 1998.

An elderly woman who lives in South Denver told CBS4 that Page is her grandson, but the family wanted privacy.

The FBI is taking over the investigation.

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