DOJ: Kansas Man Who Shot at 2 Indian Men Sentenced to Life

DOJ: Kansas Man Who Shot at 2 Indian Men Sentenced to Life
The Department of Justice seal. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)
Bowen Xiao
8/7/2018
Updated:
8/7/2018

On Aug. 7, a Kansas man was sentenced to life behind bars without the possibility for parole after he shot at two Indian men, killing one of them, according to an announcement from the Department of Justice (DOJ).

In the racially motivated attack, Adam W. Purinton killed Indian national Srinivas Kuchibhotla and shot at another man, an Indian national named Alok Madasani, in February 2017. Purinton also shot at a U.S. citizen Ian Grillot, a Kansas Resident, during an attempt to flee from the Austins Bar & Grill located in Olathe.

Purinton pleaded guilty in federal court earlier this year to hate crime and firearm offenses in relation to the shooting. He admitted in the hearing that he targeted and shot the men because of their race, color of skin, and national origin. He shot at Grillot only during a struggle to escape the scene of the crime.

“Today’s sentencing speaks to the gravity of this senseless crime and reaffirms the FBI’s continued commitment to bring those responsible to justice,” said FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Darrin Jones.

Sunayana Dumala, the widow of the fallen man, directly addressed Purinton in her victim-impact statement.

“My husband was more than what you chose to address him as. Always kind, caring, and respectful to others. Srinu and I came to the United States of America full of dreams and aspirations... Now, my American Dream–and that of Srinu’s–is broken.”

“If you could have kept your anger inside and spoke to my husband softly, Srinu would have been more than happy to share his background and help you understand that not every brown skinned person is suspicious or evil, but kind, smart and contributing to America,” she continued.

In announcing the sentencing, Attorney General Jeff Sessions called the crime “detestable.”

“A promising young life has been tragically cut short, and other lives have been filled with suffering,” he said. “Securing this sentence is important not only to the victims and their loved ones, but also to our justice system and our nation as a whole.”

Bowen Xiao was a New York-based reporter at The Epoch Times. He covers national security, human trafficking and U.S. politics.
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