Join +750K new investors every month who copy stock picks from billionaire's portfoliosSign Up Free

American who intervened in shooting that killed Indian says was happy to risk life

Published 27/02/2017, 04:22
© Reuters. Laura Grillot talks about her brother Ian, who was shot trying to stop a gunman who killed Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla at a local bar, during a vigil at a conference center in Olathe, Kansas
GRMN
-

(Reuters) - A Kansas man wounded when he intervened in a bar room shooting that killed an Indian engineer and injured another said on Sunday he was glad he risked his life in an incident U.S. authorities are investigating as a possible hate crime.

Ian Grillot, 24, was struck in the hand and chest at the bar in Olathe, Kansas, when suspect Adam Purinton opened fire on Wednesday evening. At least one bystander told the Kansas City Star he shouted "get out of my country" before shooting the Indian victims.

Purinton, a 51-year-old white Navy veteran, will make an initial appearance in Johnson County District Court on Monday. He faces charges of murder and attempted murder.

Grillot, a construction worker, said that he had to step in when the shooting started in the bar crowded with fans watching a University of Kansas basketball game.

"I was more than happy to risk my life to save the lives of others. There was families, there was kids inside," he said in a video released by the University of Kansas Health System, where he is recovering from his wounds.

"I couldn't stand there, I had to do something. That's why I acted the way I did."

The hospital said Grillot was continuing to improve. "I did get my chest tube out and that feels much better, but it is hard to describe how sore I feel," he said.

Purinton is accused of killing Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, and wounding Alok Madasani, also 32 in the shooting in Olathe, a Kansas City suburb. Both men were engineers with navigation device maker Garmin Ltd (NASDAQ:GRMN).

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking at whether the shooting was a hate crime, the official term for crimes motivated by bias or prejudice.

The shooting triggered outrage on Indian social media, where people voiced concern that U.S. President Donald Trump's "America First" position on immigration and jobs has fuelled a climate of intolerance.

A White House spokesman said on Friday that any loss of life was tragic, but it would be absurd to link the killing to Trump's rhetoric.

Local media reports said Purinton often complained about his ill health and was mourning the death of his father.

An online GoFundMe campaign has raised almost $1.2 million for the shooting's victims and families.

© Reuters. Laura Grillot talks about her brother Ian, who was shot trying to stop a gunman who killed Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla at a local bar, during a vigil at a conference center in Olathe, Kansas

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.