FBI says probing shooting of two Indian men in Kansas as a hate crime
By Kevin Murphy KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Tuesday it was investigating the shooting last week of two Indian workers at a bar in Kansas as a hate crime. A white U.S. Navy veteran has been charged in the shooting, which resulted in the death of one of the men and the wounding of the other, as well as an American who sought to intervene. "Based upon the initial investigative activity, the FBI, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, is investigating this incident as a hate crime," the FBI said in a statement. "The FBI will continue to work jointly with Olathe Police Department and our state and local partners regarding this ongoing investigation. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are not able to comment further at this time." Adam Purinton, 51, is accused of killing Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, and wounding Alok Madasani, also 32, as well as Ian Grillot, who tried to intervene last week at Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe, a Kansas City suburb. At least one bystander told the Kansas City Star he shouted "get out of my country" before shooting. The incident drew significant attention in India, where some suggested on social media that a climate of intolerance in the United States had been fuelled by President Donald Trump's rhetoric on immigration. Purinton's attorney, Michael McCulloch, could not be reached for comment. The White House on Tuesday said that it was looking more like the shooting was based on race. "As more facts come to light and it begins to look like this was an act of racially motivated hatred, we want to reiterate that the president condemns these or any other racially or religiously motivated attacks in the strongest terms," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters. (Reporting by Timothy Ahmann in Washington and Timothy McLaughlin in Chicago. Additional reporting by Ayesha Rascoe in Washington.; Editing by Eric Beech and Alan Crosby)
