Twenty-four-year-old Ian Grillot, who stood up for Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani, when they were racially abused by Adam Purinton has said he did what was right to do. He was injured in the shooting that followed, which killed Kuchibhotla.
Bartender Garret Bohnen told the Kansas City Star that Kuchibhotla and Mr. Madasani stopped at Austins for a drink once or twice a week.
“From what I understand when he was throwing racial slurs at the two gentlemen [Kuchibhotla and Madasani], Ian [Grillot] stood up for them,” Mr. Bohnen said. “We’re all proud of him.”
Witnesses told The Star that Purinton, 51, yelled “get out of my country” before opening fire.
Mr. Grillot said in an interview from his hospital bed that when the shooting broke out, he hid until nine shots were fired and he thought the suspect’s gun magazine was empty.
“I got up and proceeded to chase him down, try to subdue him,” Mr. Grillot said in a video from the University of Kansas Health System posted on The Star website. “I got behind him and he turned around and fired a round at me.”
Mr. Grillot said the bullet went through his hand and into his chest, just missing a major artery.
“It’s not about where he [victim] was from or his ethnicity,” Mr. Grillot said. “We’re all humans, so I just did what was right to do.”
U.S. Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas posted a statement on Facebook, saying he was very disturbed by the shooting. “I strongly condemn violence of any kind, especially if it is motivated by prejudice and xenophobia,” he said.
Adam Purinton, who allegedly shot dead the Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla at Olathe city in Kansas.
Brian Eric Ford, 39, set up the account on GoFundMe, jointly for the family of Kuchibhotla and Mr. Madasani.
“I’ve been pretty closely following the rise in white nationalism since the election,” the Kansas City graphic artist told The Star. “I thought this was a chance to do something to show support for these communities that are being attacked.”
As of Thursday night, 816 people had contributed $29,726 to the fund, which has a target of $50,000.
