The Independent , the Diaspora ’ s Multicultural Voice February 28 2017 11
Leisure & Family
Shooting of Indian man in bar racially
motivated : cops
India has expressed shock after the fatal shooting of an Indian national in the US , amid reports that the attack may have been racially motivated .
Srinivas Kuchibhotla died shortly after Wednesday ' s attack at a bar in Olathe , Kansas . His friend Alok Madasani , also from India , and an American were hurt .
Adam Purinton has been charged with premeditated first-degree murder
The killing dominated news bulletins in India and social media , where some blamed Donald Trump ' s presidency .
The FBI is now investigating possible motives for the crime at Austins Bar and Grill , with race among them . A bystander told the Kansas City Star that just before opening fire the gunman shouted : " Get out of my country ."
A barman also told local media that the attacker used racial slurs before opening fire on Wednesday night .
The suspect allegedly fled on foot and was arrested five hours later at a restaurant just over the state border , 80 miles ( 130km ) away in Clinton , Missouri .
Mr Kuchibhotla was from the Indian city of Hyderabad . His parents , Madhusudhan Rao and Vardhini Rao , were too stunned by news of his death to comment , the Associated Press reported .
Mr Madasani ' s father , Jaganmohan Reddy , called it a hate crime , saying that such incidents had increased in number following the election of Donald Trump .
After the shooting , Indian actor Siddharth tweeted to his 2.6 million followers : " Don ' t be shocked ! Be angry ! Trump is spreading hate . This is a hate crime ! RIP # SrinivasKuchibhotla ."
India ' s foreign minister Sushma Swaraj
said she " conveyed my condolences to the family " of the victim , assuring that " all help and assistance " would be provided .
The foreign ministry said two Indian consulate officials from Houston and Dallas had already been sent to Kansas City to meet Mr Madasani and arrange the repatriation of Mr Kuchibhotla ' s body .
The US Embassy in Delhi decried the shooting .
" The United States is a nation of immigrants and welcomes people from across the world to visit , work , study , and live ," said Charge d ' Affaires MaryKay Carlson .
" US authorities will investigate thoroughly and prosecute the case , though we recognise that justice is small consolation to families in grief ."
Mr Kuchibhotla , 32 , and Mr Madasani , also 32 , were engineers at US technology company Garmin and studied in India , according to their social media profiles .
Mr Madasani has now been released from hospital .
The other injured man , Ian Grillot , 24 , had apparently intervened to stop the violence , according to witnesses .
Speaking from his hospital bed to local TV News channel KBMC , he brushed aside suggestions that he was a hero .
" I was just doing what anyone should have done for another human being ," he said . " It ' s not about where he ' s from or his ethnicity .
" We ' re all humans . So I just felt I did what was naturally right to do ."
Mr Purinton , 51 , is accused of shooting customers at the crowded bar as they watched the University of Kansas basketball team play on television .
From left : Srinivas Kuchibhotla , who died ; Alok Madasani , who was injured ; and Ian Grillot , also injured
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