A U.S. Navy veteran charged with killing Indian techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla and injuring two others in a racially motivated hate crime has appeared before a court in Kansas, where his public defender sought more time to review evidence.
Adam Purinton (51) is accused of killing Kuchibhotla (32) and injuring Alok Madasani, on February 22 and faces both murder and attempted murder charges.
Wearing an orange jumpsuit, the US Navy veteran, with messy hair and an exhausted look, appeared in Johnson County Circuit on Thursday, sat quietly in the court, whispering to his lawyer, who sought more time from the court to study evidence. Purinton’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 9.
Affidavit filed
Early this week, prosecutors filed an affidavit describing the events leading to the shooting. According to the document, Kuchibhotla and Mr. Madasani were watching a university basketball game at a pub when Purinton approached them and asked if they were legal immigrants.
He is in jail on a $2-million bond.
The incident has drawn widespread attention to the safety of Indian-Americans living in the United States.
On March 3, another Indian national Deep Rai was shot by a partially masked gunman in his driveway while working on his car in Kent, Washington state.
According to Rai, the shooter shouted at him, “Go back to your own country“.
US President Donald Trump condemned the Kansas shooting in an address to Congress last week, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is probing the case as a hate crime.
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