Revealed: The racist code behind the Sikh temple shooter's tattoos
Wade Michael Page, the Army veteran who allegedly gunned down six people at an Oak Creek, Wisconsin Sikh temple had covered his body in tantalising clues that detailed his descent into hate.
The many tattoos that decorated the 41-year-olds body were made up of racist codes and symbols that to the trained eye demonstrated his allegiance to the white supremacist movement.
Having been monitored by watchdog groups and the FBI, Page was known to have aggressively tattooed his body with racist imagery in the years since he left the U.S. army in 1998.
On his right arm below his shoulder, Page had inked the number '838', which Marilyn Mayo of the Anti Defamation League's (ADL) Center on Extremism said is a coded symbol which indicates membership of the Hammerskins, a racist skinhead group.
The number 838 directly corresponds to the letters H, C, H which is the Hammerskins moto, 'Hail the Crossed Hammers', which directly relates to the group's pictoral logo.
'The tattoo is indicative of membership in the Hammerskins,' said Mayo of the ADL to ABC News
'Only a member would have that tattoo.' It is unlikely that Page would have begun to tattoo himself before he left the army in 1998, as extreme and racist tattoos are banned while enlisted.
In the years following the discharge, Page took to white supremacist websites such as Stormfront, updating the progression of his tattoos in photographs.
It is thought that although he wasn't a member of the Hammerskins in early 2011, he had definitely joined at the end of 2011.
'Symbols are an important part of this culture,' said Mayo. 'It allows others to know you're part of the skinhead movement and is used as a way of intimidation.
'Getting a tattoo is permanent and it comes with a serious commitment.
'It means you're a member, you're part of this club and have been initiated.'
As details of Page's serious involvement in racist groups energe, it has been revealed that his ex-girlfriend, Misty M. Cook is facing a charge of felony possession of a weapon said law enforcement officials in Wisconsin.
The weapon was discovered during a search of Cook's South Milwaukee home and the 31-year-old nursing student will be arrested and processed by the South Milwaukee Police Department.
Having recently split from Page, Cook is known to be a member of of the white power group Volksfront and supports the Hammerskins which Page was affiliated with.
Authorities said they do not believe anyone but Page was involved in Sunday's shooting.
Page's bloody spree claimed Sita Singh, 41; Ranjit Singh, 49; Satwant Singh Kaleka, 65; Prakash Singh, 39; Paramjit Kaur, 41; and Suveg Singh, 84 as victims. Four more were injured, including a police officer who suffered multiple gunshot wounds.