The widow of an Indian man killed in a suspected race crime in the US has said her husband “loved America” and came to the country “full of dreams”.
Sunayana Dumala, who flew to India after the shooting to be with her husband’s family, told the BBC she was “devastated” by his death, reports Reuters.
Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in a bar in Olathe, Kansas. His friend Alok Madasani and an American were injured.
Adam Purinton, 51, has been charged with premeditated first-degree murder.
Ms Dumala said that she had grown anxious about racial hatred after the election of Donald Trump, but she said her husband was “dedicated” to their life in the US and to his job as an engineer.
“Just last week we drove to Iowa to see our friends and their new baby,” she said. “When we came back, he was working in the car while I was driving. That’s how much he loved working… He personally wanted to do so much for this country.”
Mr Kuchibhotla worked at the US technology company Garmin, alongside his friend Mr Madasani, who has now been released from hospital. The pair were regulars at Austin’s Bar and Grill where they enjoyed sharing a drink after work.
But on Wednesday night another customer, Adam Purinton, was shouting racist slurs and told the two men they did not belong in America, witnesses said.
In a separate interview, Mr Madasani told the BBC: “This guy just randomly comes up and starts pointing fingers… We knew something was wrong… He said: ‘Which country are you from? Are you here illegally?'”
Mr Purinton was thrown out but, according to police, he returned with a gun and opened fire, killing Mr Kuchibhotla. Mr Madasani was wounded, along with Ian Grillot, a 24-year-old American who attempted to intervene.
