Kansas shooting accused indicted on federal hate crime charges for killing Indian national

The US Department of Justice has charged Kansas shooting accused Adam Purinton of federal hate crime and firearms act which carries a possible death sentence or life imprisonment in America.

Federal prosecutors announced on Friday that Adam W. Purinton of Olathe, Kansas was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly targeting two Indians, Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani “because of their actual and perceived race, color, religion and national origin.”

The unfortunate incident took place on February 22 at Austin’s Bar and Grill in Olathe, Kansas where Adam Purinton, a 52-year-old American national shouted ”get out of my country” at Srinivas and Alok before opening fire on them. Srinivas died and Alok was seriously injured in the incident. Another US national, Ian Grillot, was also wounded when tried to intervene.

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The announcement in this regard was made by the Acting Assistant Attorney General Thomas E Wheeler, II, head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, and the United States Attorney Thomas E Beall of the District of Kansas.

Puritan faces a maximum penalty of death or life in prison. The Justice Department will determine at a later date whether, in this particular case, it will seek the death penalty, a media release said.

It alleges that Purinton committed the offences after substantial planning and premeditation, attempted to kill more than one person in a single criminal episode, and knowingly created a grave risk of death to others on the scene.

Purinton, a US Navy veteran, is currently being held in the Johnson County jail on a $2 million cash bond on murder and attempted murder charges. 

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