http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article134459444.html
An Olathe man who reportedly told two strangers — Garmin engineers originally from India — to “get out of my country” before he shot them in an Olathe bar was charged Thursday with first-degree murder in the death of one of the victims.
Adam W. Purinton, 51, allegedly shot Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32; Alok Madasani, 32, of Overland Park, and another bar patron, 24-year-old Ian Grillot of Grandview.
Kuchibhotla died at a hospital after the 7:15 p.m. shooting in Austins Bar & Grill near 151st Street and Mur-Len Road.
Purinton also is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shootings of Madasani and Grillot. Witnesses said Grillot was shot after he intervened.
Madasani was released Thursday from a hospital, where Grillot is improving. The two even talked with each other Thursday.
In a video released by the University of Kansas Health System, Grillot spoke about how he jumped at the shooter.
“It wasn’t right, and I didn’t want the gentleman to potentially go after somebody else,” Grillot said. (See sidebar.)
Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe announced the charges against Purinton during a press conference at Olathe police headquarters.
He was joined by federal law enforcement officials who said that they are investigating in conjunction with Olathe police to determine if the shooting was a bias-motivated hate crime in violation of the victims’ civil rights.
At least one witness reportedly heard the man yell “get out of my country” shortly before shooting Kuchibhotla and Madasani. The man fled on foot. A manhunt ensued. Five hours later, Purinton reportedly told a bartender at a bar in an Applebee’s in Clinton, Mo., that he needed a place to hide out because he had just killed two Middle Eastern men, The 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.”
Jackson said it was not “uncommon” for joint federal and local law enforcement investigations into possible hate crimes.
Tom Beall, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Kansas, said his office would be evaluating the case as more facts are gathered in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice.
“There will probably be more to come later from us,” Beall said.
Adam W. Purinton, 51, allegedly shot Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32; Alok Madasani, 32, of Overland Park, and another bar patron, 24-year-old Ian Grillot of Grandview.
Kuchibhotla died at a hospital after the 7:15 p.m. shooting in Austins Bar & Grill near 151st Street and Mur-Len Road.
Purinton also is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shootings of Madasani and Grillot. Witnesses said Grillot was shot after he intervened.
Madasani was released Thursday from a hospital, where Grillot is improving. The two even talked with each other Thursday.
In a video released by the University of Kansas Health System, Grillot spoke about how he jumped at the shooter.
“It wasn’t right, and I didn’t want the gentleman to potentially go after somebody else,” Grillot said. (See sidebar.)
Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe announced the charges against Purinton during a press conference at Olathe police headquarters.
He was joined by federal law enforcement officials who said that they are investigating in conjunction with Olathe police to determine if the shooting was a bias-motivated hate crime in violation of the victims’ civil rights.
At least one witness reportedly heard the man yell “get out of my country” shortly before shooting Kuchibhotla and Madasani. The man fled on foot. A manhunt ensued. Five hours later, Purinton reportedly told a bartender at a bar in an Applebee’s in Clinton, Mo., that he needed a place to hide out because he had just killed two Middle Eastern men, The 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.”
Jackson said it was not “uncommon” for joint federal and local law enforcement investigations into possible hate crimes.
Tom Beall, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Kansas, said his office would be evaluating the case as more facts are gathered in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice.
“There will probably be more to come later from us,” Beall said.
