Don mum, White House says shooting disturbing
Accused makes first court appearance, faces state charges
Washington, Feb. 28: The White House has said that the early reports coming from Kansas, where an Indian engineer was shot dead and another injured in an apparent hate crime, were “disturbing”.
The White House also condemned the alleged hate crimes against the Jewish community in the US.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters at his daily news conference that “early reports coming from Kansas are equally disturbing”.
Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed and Alok Madasani, of the same age, was injured in the shooting by 51-year-old US navy veteran Adam Purinton who screamed racial slurs and told them “get out of my country”.
A 24-year-old American named Ian Grillot tried to intervene and received injuries in the firing in Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe, Kansas.
Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton has called on President Donald Trump to speak out against hate crimes.
“With threats & hate crimes on rise, we shouldn’t have to tell @POTUS to do his part. He must step up & speak out,” Ms Clinton said on Twitter.
Mr Trump is yet to comment on the shooting, which took place last on Wednesday night.
The Telangana American Telugu Association (Tata) has advised the community to avoid communicating in mother tongue in public places in the US.
The accused, Adam Purinton, also made his first court appearance on Monday.
Michelle Durrett from the Johnson County Public Defenders Office will serve as Purinton’s attorney. As per Steve Howe, Johnson County district attorney, Purinton faces hard 50 on state charges.
The FBI is also helping gather evidence in the shooting because Kansas does not have a hate crime statute.