2 Indian Engineers Shot in Kansas, with one dead - FBI investigating it as being racially motivated

[Yossarian]

Hate Crime Is Feared as 2 Indian Engineers Are Shot in Kansas

OLATHE, Kan. — Kansas reeled on Friday as a shooting at a bar, which left one Indian engineer dead and another injured, escalated into an international incident amid fears that the attack was motivated by bias and hate.

The authorities in the United States, including F.B.I. agents, are investigating the shooting as a possible hate crime, and India’s government expressed shock over the episode in suburban Kansas City.

In New Delhi, the episode raised new alarm about the treatment of foreigners in the United States, where President Trump has made clamping down on immigration and refugees from predominantly Muslim countries a central part of his “America First” agenda.

The attack occurred around 7:15 p.m. Wednesday at Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe, Kan., southwest of Kansas City.

At least one witness said that the gunman, identified by the authorities as Adam W. Purinton, 51, yelled “get out of my country” before opening fire, The Kansas City Star reported. A bartender at a Clinton, Mo., restaurant where Mr. Purinton was later captured said he had heard him say that he had killed two Middle Eastern men.

A 24-year-old American man who tried to intervene after he reportedly heard the gunman utter racist slurs was shot and hospitalized.

Citing judicial ethics and the continuing inquiry, investigators in the United States have offered no specifics about the allegations against Mr. Purinton, who was charged on Thursday with one count of premeditated first-degree murder and two counts of attempted premeditated first-degree murder. The federal government could ultimately try to bring civil rights charges against Mr. Purinton.

“Our role in this investigation is to work jointly with local law enforcement to determine if an individual’s civil rights were violated,” said Eric K. Jackson, the special agent in charge of the F.B.I.’s field office in Kansas City, Mo. “It’s not uncommon for hate crime investigations to be conducted jointly by the F.B.I. and local law enforcement and prosecuted under the state law.”

Mr. Purinton was jailed in Henry County, Mo., before his extradition on Friday morning. Stephen M. Howe, the district attorney in Johnson County, Kan., said Mr. Purinton’s bond had been set at $2 million.

Mr. Howe’s office did not immediately respond to a message on Friday. A spokesman for the Olathe Police Department referred questions to the prosecutor’s office.

In Johnson County, at least, Mr. Purinton has had few run-ins with law enforcement. Court records show a thin history: a speeding ticket in 2008 and a 1999 drunken-driving charge that was dismissed.

He spent time in the Navy and, according to a website where veterans can list their military record and find shipmate lists, he was deployed aboard the U.S.S. Long Beach, a missile cruiser, from 1988 to 1990. Mr. Purinton, who has held private pilot and control tower operator certifications, also worked for the Federal Aviation Administration, which he left in 2000, according to agency records and a spokeswoman.

The dead man, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, worked for Garmin, a GPS navigation and communications device company. The wounded Indian man, Alok Madasani, also worked for Garmin, according to the Indian government. The men were in their early 30s.

Many immigrants in the United States have been voicing concerns about the policies and language of Mr. Trump, who has ordered restrictions on immigration and a sped-up deportation process for undocumented immigrants. The F.B.I. reported an uptick in hate crimes in the United States last year.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/24/...column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

As has been said many times, most Americans can't tell and don't know the difference between Muslims from Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Middle East, and Hindus/Sikhs from India.

Innocent Sikhs have been previously killed because the killer thought he was killing Muslims. This is another such tragic incident with another innocent losing his life.

And yet some (not all I must add) Indian Americans were gloating at the thought of this administration getting tougher on Muslims. They still don't understand that the anti-Muslim rhetoric is unleashing previously suppressed racist views and attitudes that will affect them equally, regardless of whether they are Muslims from Iran and Pakistan or Hindus and Sikhs from India.

 

[StreetSmart]

I don't know why their retards even have guns

 

[Yossarian]

I don't know why their retards even have guns

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Without everyone being allowed to have guns, how else could they have killed the Indians and confiscated their lands? The entire history of the country shows that it has been built on the premise of "shoot first and ask questions later". And that can still be seen in much of the country's foreign policy and propensity for military intervention, regardless of which administration is in power.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Many Indians esp the orange right were celebrating when Trump won, yet Indians are also under threat. Indians no matter who hard they try to be like western white people will always remain brown Indians from the East to the supporters of President Trump.

 

[Markhor]

Disgusting. RIP to these two innocent men. This is why I stressed to my Indian friends on here not to buy into the Trump campaign's nonsense. Racists do not differentiate between Indians and Pakistanis, Arab or Asian, black or brown.

To them you're just another foreigner who's here to steal their job. They don't consider you of them. Why else were the likes of David Duke and Ann Coulter celebrating on election night ? Trump has created a climate where open bigotry and xenophobia is now normalised because he's lent respectability to these views through his toxic and divisive rhetoric. Every week we're hearing of such incidents.

Every ethnic minority must stick together during times like this. This demagogue must be stopped.

 

[rahulrulezz]

RIP

And the physo said he killed two Middle Eastern Muslims to the bartender after he shot the Indians. An average American can't figure the difference between an Indian Hindu and a Pakistani or a Middle Eastern muslim.

This is why I feel Indians should be worried too as the American racists will think of Indians as your Muslims.

This is the why I have always been against Trump

Ps- one of my coworkers who is highly educated and well travelled around the globe wished me Eid last year and thought I was a Muslim even though I have been working closely with him for last three years. If a smart and well informed can't figure out, how can we expect those dumb racists to figure it out.

 

[Pakistanian]

A lot of ignorance out there, right after 9/11 the first victims of hate crimes were Indian Hindus and a few years back a Sikh temple was shot up and a dozen people were killed, I think it happened in Wisconsin while the 9/11 hate crimes happened in Texas, which has a huge Indian population. What's weird is that many Arabs and middle eastern muslims can pass for white if they don't wear their traditional clothes so they have superficial white privelege, while Indians get attacked cause they're Brown and look like what white people think a Muslim is supposed to look like.

 

[srh]

somehow most of Indians think that racist will differentiate between muslim browns and non-muslim browns and will only kill muslim browns so they supported hate against muslims

 

[sjahmed23]

It's really simple, don't go to places where you will stick out like a sore thumb. Kansas is a super red state with a whole lot of people with guns doing nothing in life, so no surprises here.

 

[Syed1]

When Trump won many Indian PP'ers were celebrating it as their victory but even then I was of the opinion that a redneck racist cannot possibly differentiate between the different kinds of brown.

Welcome to Trump's America

RIP to the victims

 

[Yossarian]

somehow most of Indians think that racist will differentiate between muslim browns and non-muslim browns and will only kill muslim browns so they supported hate against muslims

A lot of ignorance out there, right after 9/11 the first victims of hate crimes were Indian Hindus and a few years back a Sikh temple was shot up and a dozen people were killed, I think it happened in Wisconsin while the 9/11 hate crimes happened in Texas, which has a huge Indian population. What's weird is that many Arabs and middle eastern muslims can pass for white if they don't wear their traditional clothes so they have superficial white privelege, while Indians get attacked cause they're Brown and look like what white people think a Muslim is supposed to look like.

Not just Middle Easterners. When I was living in the States, myself, my wife and kids were often assumed to be Cubans or South Americans, and Latino shop assistants would automatically start speaking to us in Spanish. Should have seen the surprise on their faces when we indicated that we couldn't speak Spanish, by speaking in English, with a British accent!

 

[Sachin136]

Racist attacks happened long before Trump and will continue after his term.

 

[Yossarian]

Racist attacks happened long before Trump and will continue after his term.

So you don't think that the racist rhetoric that Trump and his supporters have been spouting for the last year and a half has had nothing to do with the changes in tone and attitudes, with racism becoming almost acceptable and racists feeling that they don't need to hide their racist opinions any more?

Sounds as if you might fit the description of the 'gloaters' I referred to in the OP.

As has been said many times, most Americans can't tell and don't know the difference between Muslims from Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Middle East, and Hindus/Sikhs from India.

Innocent Sikhs have been previously killed because the killer thought he was killing Muslims. This is another such tragic incident with another innocent losing his life.

And yet some (not all I must add) Indian Americans were gloating at the thought of this administration getting tougher on Muslims. They still don't understand that the anti-Muslim rhetoric is unleashing previously suppressed racist views and attitudes that will affect them equally, regardless of whether they are Muslims from Iran and Pakistan or Hindus and Sikhs from India.

 

[rahulrulezz]

Btw most of my Indian friends on Facebook have always been sharing anti Trump posts because of Trumps Islamohobic stance but I am yet to see my Muslim friends condemn this incident. Heck going by this thread, Pakistanis seem to be making fun of this incident.

 

[Saeed]

These kind of attacks have been happening since 9/11, Trump got elected in 2016. Trump is ok as long as he deals with radical moslem terrorists and Pakistan.

 

[Yossarian]

Btw most of my Indian friends on Facebook have always been sharing anti Trump posts because of Trumps Islamohobic stance but I am yet to see my Muslim friends condemn this incident. Heck going by this thread, Pakistanis seem to be making fun of this incident.

Here, you must have missed this from the OP.

Innocent Sikhs have been previously killed because the killer thought he was killing Muslims. This is another such tragic incident with another innocent losing his life.

And this

Disgusting. RIP to these two innocent men. This is why I stressed to my Indian friends on here not to buy into the Trump campaign's nonsense. Racists do not differentiate between Indians and Pakistanis, Arab or Asian, black or brown.

To them you're just another foreigner who's here to steal their job. They don't consider you of them. Why else were the likes of David Duke and Ann Coulter celebrating on election night ? Trump has created a climate where open bigotry and xenophobia is now normalised because he's lent respectability to these views through his toxic and divisive rhetoric. Every week we're hearing of such incidents.

Every ethnic minority must stick together during times like this. This demagogue must be stopped.

 

[Yossarian]

These kind of attacks have been happening since 9/11, Trump got elected in 2016. Trump is ok as long as he deals with radical moslem terrorists and Pakistan.

Ah, yet another one of those gloaters.

And yet some (not all I must add) Indian Americans were gloating at the thought of this administration getting tougher on Muslims. They still don't understand that the anti-Muslim rhetoric is unleashing previously suppressed racist views and attitudes that will affect them equally, regardless of whether they are Muslims from Iran and Pakistan or Hindus and Sikhs from India.

 

[Sachin136]

So you don't think that the racist rhetoric that Trump and his supporters have been spouting for the last year and a half has had nothing to do with the changes in tone and attitudes, with racism becoming almost acceptable and racists feeling that they don't need to hide their racist opinions any more?

Sounds as if you might fit the description of the 'gloaters' I referred to in the OP.

No, I don't think so. There have been numerous racially motivated attacks against Indians under Obama's administration, and as far as I know, Obama didn't have any anti-Muslim motive (and neither does Trump).

Why would I gloat at the thought of the US getting tough on Muslims? In fact, I don't think the proposed travel ban was a good idea either.

 

[Madplayer]

RIP to the victims. Horrible to experience such a thing because you don't even know your enemy and can't be prepared for such an attack.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Two innocent lives have been lost and people are point scoring here

RIP to the victims

 

[JaDed]

These kind of attacks have been happening since 9/11, Trump got elected in 2016. Trump is ok as long as he deals with radical moslem terrorists and Pakistan.

That is factually incorrect,even before 9/11 Hindus were attacked in America ,there was a gang named "Dotbusters" targeting the ones bindhi in Jersey.

The attacks on Hindus have always been there in someway or the other,but the killing is something different which has happened under Trump.

 

[JaDed]

People don't realize the killing effects more than one person ,his wife/parents desi.
Good on the man who tried to save the Indians,for every racist American there are atleast few guys ready to fight for the right cause.

 

[JaDed]

No, I don't think so. There have been numerous racially motivated attacks against Indians under Obama's administration, and as far as I know, Obama didn't have any anti-Muslim motive (and neither does Trump).

Why would I gloat at the thought of the US getting tough on Muslims? In fact, I don't think the proposed travel ban was a good idea either.

How many died previously?Not blaming Trump here but what gave the guy so much power to go on and kill the men?Also wasn't he from the navy?

 

[from_da_lost_dim3nsion]

Sickening ! The hate is real in these fundamentalists. I hope the family finds peace.

 

[Adil_94]

Yes most racists and bigots cant diffrentiate between Hindus Sikhs and Muslims all they see is brown people who are terrorists. Thats why the Hindu Nationalists who were fawning over Trump made no sense. Anytime a terror attack happens a lot of the time its Indian owned 7-11s that are trashed and Sikhs especially are targeted.

 

[JaDed]

Yes most racists and bigots cant diffrentiate between Hindus Sikhs and Muslims all they see is brown people who are terrorists. Thats why the Hindu Nationalists who were fawning over Trump made no sense. Anytime a terror attack happens a lot of the time its Indian owned 7-11s that are trashed and Sikhs especially are targeted.

I'm not sure how true that is,one example where i have already mentioned in the thread about dotbusters from Jersey targeting women wearing bindi,now which community wears that?

I thought racists were blind to the religion but they are not,their issue seems to be against any non-white person,who doesn't look and talk like them but they are not as stupid as people are assuming,most of them are well aware of their actions,a look around the social networking sites will also let us know that they know Indians are stealing their jobs through H1b so they know who Indians are.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dotbusters

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=137142]JaDed[/MENTION] attacks on Indians and Sikhs in particular after Islamist terror attacks show the ignorance of a lot of these bigots. I bet most of these bigots dont even know what a Sikh is. The just see beard turban = Bin Laden = potential terrorist. After the paris attacks a sikh man was attacked with a machete in the U.K. They might know a Hindu worships idols but then again a lot of them think Islam is a pagan religion and Allah is a moon God. Most of them are very uneducated and ill informed on the differences between Muslims Sikhs and Hindus.

 

[enkidu_]

The average American racist can't make the difference between a Moroccan, a Yemeni, a Pakistani, an Iranian, an Indian, ... if you're a brown Caucasoid you'll have problems.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Many Indians esp the orange right were celebrating when Trump won, yet Indians are also under threat. Indians no matter who hard they try to be like western white people will always remain brown Indians from the East to the supporters of President Trump.

This is so true. For them we are all the same.

 

[Bewal Express]

This is so true. For them we are all the same.

To a racist, one Asian looks the same as the next Asian. This is a terrible crime against innocent people and my heart goes out to their families. The sad thing is that if these were Muslim guys, Trump supporting Hindu extremists would be celebrating.

 

[miandadrules]

This is an inevitable consequence of allowing bigotry to fester and flourish and why it is tantamount to speak out against it in all its forms and not just when it is directed at our own vested interests.

It's always good to remember the poem by Martin Niemoller called "First they came...".

 

[miandadrules]

Disgusting. RIP to these two innocent men. This is why I stressed to my Indian friends on here not to buy into the Trump campaign's nonsense. Racists do not differentiate between Indians and Pakistanis, Arab or Asian, black or brown.

To them you're just another foreigner who's here to steal their job. They don't consider you of them. Why else were the likes of David Duke and Ann Coulter celebrating on election night ? Trump has created a climate where open bigotry and xenophobia is now normalised because he's lent respectability to these views through his toxic and divisive rhetoric. Every week we're hearing of such incidents.

Every ethnic minority must stick together during times like this. This demagogue must be stopped.

I would go further and say that all, not just ethnic minorities need to take a stand.

This strategy of targeting one group at a time has an established history but has been gaining great traction since the 1990's.

They package their bigotry towards the group most vilified and present it as genuine criticism based on morality. Once this idea takes hold it far easier to violate the human rights of the group. Do those people who are vehemently anti-muslim truly believe that if every Muslim is neutralised that we will then inherit a Utopia?

Yet, we also see this approach in the Muslim world against different group to the ambivalence of the greater Muslim community.

Sadly, then they will move on to the next group.

Atrocities don't happen in a vacuum nor do they occur over night.

On a side note, I read an interesting article called a "Trial Balloon for a coup" which mused over the true intentions of the chaos Trump is creating and how it is essentially a cover to allow Alt-Right members to move in to key posts within the establishment.

 

[PakLFC]

The murderer made anti Middle Eastern statements before pulling the trigger. He obviously didn't know the difference between an Arab and an Indian never mind a Muslim and a Hindu. Like or not brown people are all being seen as Muslim's now. Not for a minute am I saying that it is okay to kill an Arab.

 

[Yossarian]

I'm not sure how true that is,one example where i have already mentioned in the thread about dotbusters from Jersey targeting women wearing bindi,now which community wears that?

I thought racists were blind to the religion but they are not,their issue seems to be against any non-white person,who doesn't look and talk like them but they are not as stupid as people are assuming,most of them are well aware of their actions,a look around the social networking sites will also let us know that they know Indians are stealing their jobs through H1b so they know who Indians are.

Don't delude yourself. It's nothing to do with specifically targeting Indians bacause of the H1b's.
In neither the case of the massacre of Sikhs that took place at the gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, nor this shooting had anything to do with H1b's or specifically targeting Indians. In both cases the killers thought they were killing Muslims.

Seems as if some Indian Trump lovers are still unwilling to accept the facts that are staring them in the face, and they will cling to any excuse they can find to justify their love for Trump and his anti-Muslim policies. To the extent of even trying to find excuses for the murders of innocent Indians.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Immigrants should keep low, especially in these times.

 

[JaDed]

Don't delude yourself. It's nothing to do with specifically targeting Indians bacause of the H1b's.
In neither the case of the massacre of Sikhs that took place at the gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, nor this shooting had anything to do with H1b's or specifically targeting Indians. In both cases the killers thought they were killing Muslims.

Seems as if some Indian Trump lovers are still unwilling to accept the facts that are staring them in the face, and they will cling to any excuse they can find to justify their love for Trump and his anti-Muslim policies. To the extent of even trying to find excuses for the murders of innocent Indians.

Post #21

The killing have happened under TRUMP but racism always existed,not sure where am i finding excuses for Trump,my point is with American society here.

 

[Yossarian]

Post #21

The killing have happened under TRUMP but racism always existed,not sure where am i finding excuses for Trump,my point is with American society here.

Racism yes. But not the type where killers wish to kill innocents purely on the basis that they are Muslims.

Trump, despite being the President of the nation, is not just openly endorsing Islamophobia, but is actually passing racist laws with his executive orders, and the likes of you are still backing him and making excuses for his actions.

In fact, as I've already said, many Indians, including the likes of you, still cannot see the changes in tone and the increasingly racist atmosphere despite the murders of innocent Indians as a direct result of changing attitudes. All because of the fact that his policies are anti-Muslim, which many of you endorse.

 

[JaDed]

Racism yes. But not the type where killers wish to kill innocents purely on the basis that they are Muslims.

Trump, despite being the President of the nation, is not just openly endorsing Islamophobia, but is actually passing racist laws with his executive orders, and the likes of you are still backing him and making excuses for his actions.

In fact, as I've already said, many Indians, including the likes of you, still cannot see the changes in tone and the increasingly racist atmosphere despite the murders of innocent Indians as a direct result of changing attitudes. All because of the fact that his policies are anti-Muslim, which many of you endorse.

Stop making accusations and assumptions,at least provide some facts that I endorse any such law,there were killing in Sikh temple or the lady pushing of the man on railway tracks even before Trump took power,the assumption here is suddenly all the Americans have "become" killing machine under Trump(which could be) as i ve said in post 21 but America has killed people of different color before too,not sure what you arguing about here.

By just blaming the Trump you are excusing the Americans for their behavior as in "normally" they are very nice people but suddenly because of TRUMP they have the power to kill.
That is the point I'm arguing on,the American society is an equally bigger issue.

There have always been issues of Americans discriminating,vandalizing Hindu temples as well.

And lets not FORGET Joe Biden making fun of Indians so yeah many Americans have always been discriminating,the killing has also been always there,by "only" blaming TRUMP I cannot accept that Americans are BT and AT(Before and After Trump)

 

[Yossarian]

Stop making accusations and assumptions,at least provide some facts that I endorse any such law,there were killing in Sikh temple or the lady pushing of the man on railway tracks even before Trump took power,the assumption here is suddenly all the Americans have "become" killing machine under Trump(which could be) as i ve said in post 21 but America has killed people of different color before too,not sure what you arguing about here.

By just blaming the Trump you are excusing the Americans for their behavior as in "normally" they are very nice people but suddenly because of TRUMP they have the power to kill.
That is the point I'm arguing on,the American society is an equally bigger issue.

There have always been issues of Americans discriminating,vandalizing Hindu temples as well.

And lets not FORGET Joe Biden making fun of Indians so yeah many Americans have always been discriminating,the killing has also been always there,by "only" blaming TRUMP I cannot accept that Americans are BT and AT(Before and After Trump)

You're missing the point completely. Yes there was discrimination before Trump came along on the scene. Yes there were instances of racism, and even murder, previously. The difference is that due to the rhetoric that Trump has been spewing for the last year and half or so during his election campaign, along with the rampant racism of Brenner (Breitbart news anyone!) and many of the others in Trump's cabinet, means that it's now officially endorsed by the highest powers in the land. And that in turn gives license to every racist to crawl from under the floorboards and not just openly express their views but also not be afraid to openly diiscriminate.

Surely even you can see that?

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Immigrants should keep low, especially in these times.

I was under the impression that immigrants usually do keep low in the US, especially those from the subcontinent. It's the British Pakistanis who usually get criticised for not integrating, so we can only assume that these unfortunate Indians were just hardworking guys who are feeling the backlash of the general mood of racist discontent in the US.

 

[CricketCartoons]

I was under the impression that immigrants usually do keep low in the US, especially those from the subcontinent. It's the British Pakistanis who usually get criticised for not integrating, so we can only assume that these unfortunate Indians were just hardworking guys who are feeling the backlash of the general mood of racist discontent in the US.

In this incident, there was a brawl in the bar, the guy got expelled by the manager and came back with a gun.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

In this incident, there was a brawl in the bar, the guy got expelled by the manager and came back with a gun.

I have a bad habit of skimming over lengthy articles so missed that. I can only assume that this bar was in one of America's less cosmopolitan areas where Indians are not so common. You are probably right, in those places it's probably a good idea to stay away from bars. If they are frequented by old time Americans you can never tell when a few drinks too many might bring out the latent xenophobia.

 

[JaDed]

You're missing the point completely. Yes there was discrimination before Trump came along on the scene. Yes there were instances of racism, and even murder, previously. The difference is that due to the rhetoric that Trump has been spewing for the last year and half or so during his election campaign, along with the rampant racism of Brenner (Breitbart news anyone!) and many of the others in Trump's cabinet, means that it's now officially endorsed by the highest powers in the land. And that in turn gives license to every racist to crawl from under the floorboards and not just openly express their views but also not be afraid to openly diiscriminate.

Surely even you can see that?

Fair enough.

 

[Muhammad10]

Olathe shooting: Survivor and widow tell the BBC their stories

Last Wednesday evening in Olathe, Kansas, two Indian men in their early 30s met for a few post-work beers in Austins Bar.

Both would be shot by a stranger that night in a suspected race hate crime, along with a 24-year-old American who attempted to intervene.

Engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, died of his injuries.

His friend Alok Madasani was hit in the leg - but survived.

Mr Madasani told the BBC how the shocking attack unfolded as the two colleagues sat in the sun, chatting about films.

The quiet beer that ended in tragedy:

Olathe shooting survivor Alok Madasani tells the BBC his story

"Srinivas and I had known each for almost nine years. During weekdays we tried to get a beer or two and chill after a long day's work.

"On that day the weather was just so perfect that neither of us could do what we do regularly - which is work till seven o'clock and then go home.

"We typically drink Jamieson's whiskey, but that day the weather was so nice we ordered Miller Lite beers.

"We were talking in our language - Telugu. We were having a conversation about one of our friends at work who wanted to watch Bollywood movies... 'What movies do you think we should suggest?'.

"This guy just randomly comes up and starts pointing fingers. We knew something was wrong, but there was a [basketball] game going on so it was very loud.

"He came towards me and said, which country are you from? Are you here illegally?

"I went straight inside to get the manager, and I should have taken Srinivas inside with me as well.

"These fellow Americans escorted him [the stranger] inside. All I heard was, 'This is not how you talk to guys like these - let's go.'"

'He's back with a gun'

The two men then went back into the bar to order some fried pickles and two final beers. The TV was blaring as the basketball game continued.

"There was cheering and suddenly I could hear - I don't know who said it - all I heard was - 'He's back with a gun.'

"I heard a pop. Next thing I know I was right on the ground. I dove for my life. I heard two to three go off again. He came from behind so I didn't even see what he was aiming at.

"I'm not sure if when I was trying to get up is when I got hit, or when I was down. From that moment onwards, I tried to get up and I just couldn't.

"I heard people yelling. I didn't pass out - I was trying to get up, and all I saw was Srinivas lying there motionless."

"One guy, Brad - he removed his shirt and tied it to my leg. He saw that my jeans was filled with blood and he didn't know what to do. The best thing to do at that time ... he just took out his shirt and wrapped it around this leg so tight that I just couldn't do anything. He definitely saved my life.

"The ambulances came, and when they put me on the stretcher, Srinivas was still there.

"I was under the impression that his injury wasn't serious, so we could go home that night. I was telling the doctor to wrap it up, that we didn't want our significant others to know that we were in a shoot-out.

Fears over Facebook - then the police came to her door:

Widow Sunayana Dumala tells the BBC how she learned of the tragedy

On the night of her husband's murder, Sunayana Dumala texted him to ask when he was coming home. He told her around 7pm. She urged him to make it sooner.

"I will show you his last text message... You might not understand the language. I asked him, when will you come home? He said, 7-ish - why?

"I said, is it because of work? - he stayed late on Tuesday night. - Can you come home and work? Let's have tea together!

Time passed, and Srinivas failed to show up. Sunayana tried his phone, and when she couldn't reach him assumed that he had switched it off.

"I messaged [Alok's wife] Ripti asking, is Alok home? She said no - one of their cricket friends met with some accident, and they're doing some stitches to the leg and it might be beyond midnight too.

"Like a very stupid girl, I believed that. Then she messaged me again, asking the name of the bar they usually go. I said Austins, and I asked why?

"I was having my dinner, and I have this habit of scrolling through Facebook, which he never used to like.

Then I saw some video, some shooting, and I was like - has something happened again? Who is hurt? Then I see the name Austins. I started connecting why they asked.

After reading that the shooting victims had been taken to University of Kansas hospital, Sunayana wanted to go there - but two police officers arrived at her home to tell her the worst had happened.

"Two cops came, they knocked on the door. They asked my name, Srina's name, his date of birth... then they told me those words and they just said it so simply. They said they're sorry, but...

"I went to the hospital. I had to go through a security check. It's a hospital policy. My husband is lying there dead, and they said I needed to go through a security check. They did not allow me inside. they said they needed to follow the procedures of autopsy and everything.

"Detectives came. One FBI representative and one local cop.

'He is everywhere, whatever I do'

"We came here with so many dreams. He personally wanted to do so much for this country. He studied here, he made so many friends.

"I am so worried. I think hate crime will be more open now. Will it be safe for us to go to a mall? Will it be safe for us to go to the office?

"Now I feel I have to show people here - you've taken away my love, but I'm here to spread love.

"He is everywhere, whatever I do. His clothes are here, his side of the sink, the way he used to brush, shower. His daily prayers in that room.

"He was a very loved child. His father's most trusted son for any kind of advice. He recently purchased a car for his dad. He was so happy and so proud about it.

"There are three brothers. He's the youngest. Whenever they did something naughty their father would run behind them in the house. This one [Srinivas] used to be the fastest. After running three or four times my husband used to feel bad for his father. He used to stop and get the beatings for all three. That's how kind he was."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39098084

 

[yasir]

This line of thinking, "Xenophobia and racism has always existed in US, specially in Bible Belt, what's new here", is very wrong way of looking at the problem...During Trump rallies we all saw kind of hate, Xenophobia and racism was expressed in public domain, never seen in decades, Trump has legitimize discrimination, on a very similar lines as Hitler did back in 30s, nobody took him seriously till it was too late...He is building a very similar kind of culture And its not about one particular race, religion, its about pretty much every minority

All Trump supporters(many Indians I know fall into that), were taking this culture of hate by far right lightly, the same way many Indians take Modi's extremism not so seriously, or Most Pakistani creating culture of religious extreme light for 3 decades, until it hit you, most people don't get it, but then its too late, you are nurturing this culture of hate, what the hell you were expecting

Trump won in many key battle ground states thanks to these so called conservative minority groups...He won in FL thanks to US born Latinos giving him 30-40% votes(he will bring jobs, who cares about anything else)... Indians gave him vote in usually large number in most places, "Ab Key Bar Trump Sardar", they were happy by his stand against Muslims(Pakistan Ko Ragraha mill Raha hai), but ignore his agenda against other minorities, as "he is not going to be that crazy"...Now we are seeing attacks on many minorities, Muslims, Black, Gays, Transgenders, even Jews(after long time), add Indians to that list...This is only going to go up from here

Don't forget Trump won election on exactly that kind of Agenda, "White American First", in most speeches he did not mention the "white" part, but that was given, same way Modi did not mention "Hindu" part of Pakistan Army never mention why they have been nurturing "Extremist Muslim Terrorist" for last 3 decades, but everybody knows why....When you nurture the culture of hate, it blinds people from everything else...