Kansas Shooting

I Need An Answer’ On How U.s. Stops Hate Crimes

... vigil held in honor of co-worker Kuchibhotla. Mayor of Olathe and addresses the shooting at Austins Bar & Grill. Olathe Mayor Michael Copeland speaks in the wake of a shooting Wednesday in a suburban bar, a possible hate crime that left one man dead and two others injured. A Garmin aviation systems engineer, Didier Papadopoulos, the supervisor of the victim that was. Jill Toyoshiba The Kansas City Star. More than 200 Garmin workers attended the 90-minute program at the company’s Olathe complex, where they listened to his wife share stories about they met and their lives together. Madasani walked into the auditorium aided by a pair crutches. He was shot in the thigh during the rampage that killed his friend and injured Grillot, who had come to their aid. “There wasn’t a dry eye in the place,” said Carly Hysell, company spokeswoman. In the afternoon news conference, company officials, along with Olathe Mayor Michael Copeland, pledged their support for Kuchibhotla’s family and resolved to emerge from the tragedy as a community further united. “On Wednesday night, ...

Witnesses Say Deadly Kansas Shooting Was Racially Motivated

... attended the news conference where the murder charges were announced. Asked if the presence of federal authorities indicated the shooting could be considered a hate crime, FBI special agent Eric Jackson said it was too early to determine. "This was a violent crime and we want the best prosecution that relates to this because there are victims of this crime and we want the community to know that. we're looking to make sure that the individual involved in this is held accountable for his actions.". Bartender Garret Bohnen told the Kansas City Star that Kuchibhotla and 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," Bohnen said. "We're all proud of him.". Witnesses also told the Star that Purinton, 51, yelled "get out of my country" before he opened fire. Grillot said in an interview from his hospital bed that when the shooting broke out, he hid until nine shots had been fired and he thought the suspect's gun magazine was ...

Authorities Investigating Whether Kansas Triple Shooting That Killed One Was A Hate Crime

... a bullet narrowly missed a major artery. "I was told I was incredibly lucky for what happened to me," Grillot said. "I could have never walked again or seen my family again.". Purington has been charged with one count of premeditated murder and two counts of premeditated attempted murder, Howe said. It will be up to Clinton County to decide whether to waive extradition, he added. Howe would not disclose the type of weapon used in the attack, which he described as a "pretty traumatic event in a very open, public situation.". It is unclear if Purington has retained a lawyer. The FBI is investigating whether the shooting was a bias crime, said Kansas City FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric Jackson. Local police will also aid in the investigation into whether the shooting was racially motivated. Jackson FBI personnel are working the investigation into the shooting "from every angle to determine that the true facts are.". Authorities were unable to provide further details in the case, which is still under investigation. "We've got a lot of work to do," Howe said. Howe said the community around Olathe ...

Some Witnesses Say Kansas Shooting Was Racially Motivated

... 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," Bohnen said. "We're all proud of him.". Witnesses also told the Star that Purinton, 51, yelled "get out of my country" before he opened fire. Grillot said in an interview from his hospital bed that when the shooting broke out, he hid until nine shots had been fired and he thought the suspect's gun magazine was empty. "I got up and proceeded to chase him down, try to subdue him," 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.". Grillot said that 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," Grillot said. "We're all humans, so I just did what was right to do.". Go Fund Me pages were started to help pay expenses for all three of the victims. U. S. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas posted a statement on ...

Indian Community In Kansas Shaken By Shooting

... If he did it once, what would stop him from doing it again. ZIEGLER: Witnesses at the bar reportedly heard the shooter, identified as Adam W. Purinton, hurling racial slurs and shout at the victims to, get out of my country. At a press conference yesterday afternoon, Johnson County, Kan., District Attorney Steve Howe declined to call this a hate-crime investigation but said local authorities are working with federal officials. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING). STEVE HOWE: As far as the motivation of this case, there are investigators currently going out and still interviewing people. What we want to do is we want to be able to be sure of our facts versus speculation. ZIEGLER: Purinton is charged with one count of first-degree, premeditated murder and two counts of attempted premeditated murder. He is in custody with bond set at $2 million. For NPR News, I'm Laura Ziegler in Kansas City. Copyright © 2017 NPR. All rights reserved. ...

Devastated Widow Of Kansas Immigrant Shot Dead In Bar Asks, Do We Belong

... read many times in newspapers of some kind of shooting happening everywhere, and we always wondered how safe…are we doing the right thing, our staying in the United States of America?” Dumala recalled. “But he always assured me that only good things happen to good people. Always think good, always be good, and good will happen to you.”. Instead, tragedy took her husband, before they had a chance to fulfill their dream of having children. “I wish we had one, so that I could have seen him in the child,” Dumala said. “And now I don’t have that option. I just have his memories. That’s it.”. Adam Purinton. ID: 10595251. Kuchibhotla, 32, was at Austins Bar and Grille around 7:15 p.m. Wednesday when Purinton allegedly pulled out a gun and starting shooting. One witness said he told Kuchibhotla and others he was with, “Get out of my country,” the Kansas City Star reported. Alok Madasani, also 32 and of Indian descent, along with another bar patron, 24-year-old Ian Grillot, were also injured in the shooting. Purinton fled the bar, but was arrested around 1 a.m. Thursday after he ...

Suspect In Kansas Shooting Faces Possible Hate Crime Charges

... crime. Three years ago, three Christians were shot at the Jewish Community Center. The killer thought he was targeting Jews. Adam Purinton reportedly told the bartender at the Missouri Applebee's where he was arrested a few hours after the incident that he'd shot some Middle Easterners. He apparently didn't realize the two engineers were from India. For NPR News, I'm Laura Ziegler in Kansas City. Copyright © 2017 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at __link__ for further information. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb 8 tm, Inc. , an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The ...

Suspect In Fatal Kansas Shooting Allegedly Yelled, 'get Out Of My Country

... Eastern men, The Kansas City Star has learned. The bartender called police, and Purinton was arrested without incident, Assistant Clinton Police Chief Sonny Lynch said. Purinton was not armed. "It was a tragic and senseless act of violence," said Olathe Police Chief Steven Menke. After his arrest in Clinton, Purinton — a Navy veteran, IT specialist, former pilot and air traffic controller who lives in a comfortable suburban home — was booked into the Henry County Jail. Purinton appeared before a judge in Henry County and waived his right to fight extradition. Bond was set at $2 million. It was not known how soon he would be returned to Johnson County. Both Howe and Eric Jackson, special agent in charge of the FBI's Kansas City office, cautioned they were too early in their investigation to assign a motive or call it a hate crime. "We're less than 24 hours in," Howe said. "We want to be sure of the facts versus speculation.". A ...