OLATHE, KANSAS — Navy veteran Adam Purinton has been charged with killing an Indian immigrant and the attempted murder of two others after he allegedly opened fire in an Olathe, Kansas bar on Wednesday night.
Purinton was allegedly making racial slurs about Srinu Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani, which led to a confrontation with the two men, reported the Kansas City Star, citing witnesses. Purinton believed the men were of Middle Eastern origin. Both men are Indian immigrants who work as engineers at Garmin.
Local resident Ian Grillot tried to intervene, but Purinton opened fire on all three of them. He killed Kuchibhotla and wounded the others, reported the Kansas City Star. Both Madasani and Grillot remain in hospital.
Purinton was taken into custody hours later at an Applebee’s in Clinton, Missouri.
According to the Kansas City Star, Purinton was charged with premeditated first degree murder and two counts of attempted first degree murder. Federal investigators and local authorities are investigating if the shooting was a hate crime.
