Marta694059068 at 07:43, 27 November 2025

2025-11-27T07:43:22Z

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{{Short description|Hate crime in Olathe, Kansas, US}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = 2017 Olathe, Kansas shooting
| map = {{Location map many | Kansas#United States
| width = 250
| label = Austin's Bar
| position = center
| background = #FFFFDD
| coordinates = {{coord|38|51|14|N|94|46|52|W}}
}}
| map_caption =
| location = '''Austins Bar and Grill'''<br>[[Olathe, Kansas]], US
| target = [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin#Non-Resident Indian .28NRI.29|Indian immigrant]] workers
| date = {{start date|2017|2|22}}
| time = 7:15 p.m<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/24/world/asia/kansas-attack-possible-hate-crime-srinivas-kuchibhotla.html|title=Hate Crime Is Feared as 2 Indian Engineers Are Shot in Kansas |first1=John |last1=Eligon |first2=Alan |last2=Blinder |first3=Nida |last3=Najar |date=February 24, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=25 February 2017}}</ref>
| timezone = [[UTC−06:00|CST]]
| coordinates = {{coord|38|51|14|N|94|46|52|W|display=inline,title|scale:50000_region:US_type:event}}
| type = [[Shooting]], [[hate crime]], [[Domestic terrorism]]
| fatalities = 1 (Srinivas Kuchibhotla)
| injuries = 2 (Alok Madasani and Ian Grillot)
| weapons = [[Taurus Millennium series|Taurus PT111]] chambered in [[9x19 Parabellum]]<ref>https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/kansas-man-pleads-guilty-hate-crime-and-firearm-offenses-shooting-two-indian-nationals-and?form=MG0AV3</ref>
| assailant = Adam Purinton
| motive = [[Anti-Indian sentiment]]
}}On February 22, 2017, Adam Purinton shot two [[Indian people|Indian]] men, Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani, whom he had allegedly mistaken for [[Iran]]ians, at a restaurant in [[Olathe, Kansas]], killing Kuchibhotla.<ref name="bbc">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39108060 |title=Olathe, Kansas, shooting suspect 'said he killed Iranians' |work=[[BBC News]] |date=2017-02-28 |access-date=2017-03-12}}</ref> He reportedly yelled "get out of my country" and "[[terrorist]]" before firing. A third man, Ian Grillot, was wounded after he came to the two men's aid.<ref>{{cite news|agency=Press Trust of India|title=Indian techie shot dead by American yelling 'get out of my country'|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/indian-techie-shot-dead-by-american-yelling-get-out-of-my-country-117022500008_1.html|work=Business Standard India|date=25 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="inwest">{{cite news |last1=Reporter |first1=India-West Staff |title=Indian American Engineer Fatally Shot in Kansas in Alleged Hate Crime |url=http://www.indiawest.com/news/global_indian/indian-american-engineer-fatally-shot-in-kansas-in-alleged-hate/article_cabbeea2-fa19-11e6-90fd-8be9cac28a53.html |work=[[India West]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="kcity">{{cite news|title=First-degree murder charge filed in possible hate crime shooting at Olathe’s Austins bar|url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article134459444.html|work=kansascity|language=en}}</ref> Several hours later, Purinton was arrested in [[Clinton, Missouri]].

==Incident==
According to witness accounts, the incident, at Austin's Bar and Grill at Mur-Len Shop on 151st St. and Mur-Len Rd., began as patrons were watching a basketball game; a man started yelling [[racial slurs]] at the victims, asking them whether their "[[Illegal immigration to the United States|status was legal]]".<ref>{{cite web|title=Bar shooting suspect asked victims if 'status was legal' - Times of India|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/us-canada-news/bar-shooting-suspect-asked-victims-if-status-was-legal/articleshow/57512550.cms|website=The Times of India}}</ref> The man had been escorted from the premises after he was confronted by restaurant staff and other guests, but returned later with a gun and began firing.<ref name=Star/> He reportedly told the two targeted victims—South Indian men who work for [[Garmin]], a technology firm—to "get out of my country" before firing. Ian Grillot, a 24-year-old white American, was shot and suffered multiple bullet wounds as he came to the victims' aid.<ref name="bbs">{{cite news|title=Olathe shooting: India shocked after national killed in US|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39081698|work=BBC News|date=24 February 2017}}</ref>

The suspect, Adam Purinton, was arrested while drinking at a restaurant bar in [[Clinton, Missouri]], about {{convert|82|miles|km}} away. He had attracted the barman's attention by saying he needed a place to hide because he had just killed one [[Middle East]]ern man and injured another.<ref name="Bloomberg">{{cite news|title=Witnesses: Bar Gunman Shouted 'Get Out of My Country'|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-24/witnesses-say-deadly-kansas-shooting-was-racially-motivated|work=Bloomberg.com|date=24 February 2017}}</ref>

===The perpetrator===
Adam Purinton (born May 21, 1965), age 51, was arrested for the killing. After fleeing the bar, he was pursued by police in the Kansas City area who also went to his home. He eluded them, but was arrested after he was said to have admitted to "killing two Middle Eastern men" at a bar to which he had fled, 82 miles from the scene of the crimes.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bucher|first1=Chris|title=Suspect: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|url=http://heavy.com/news/2017/02/adam-purinton-olathe-shooter-shooting-suspect-veteran-muslim-islam-slur-who-is-dead-death-applebees-update-austins-bar-kansas/|website=Heavy.com|date=23 February 2017}}</ref> Purinton was said to have been a [[Alcohol abuse|drinker]] whose alcohol consumption increased and whose behavior rapidly deteriorated after his father died from pancreatic cancer, 18 months before the crimes. Prior to his arrest, he had recently held a series of [[Dead-end job|unskilled jobs]] including in hardware and liquor stores and as a dishwasher in a pizza parlor. He is a [[United States Navy]] veteran, had been an air traffic controller, and previously worked in information technology.<ref name= Star>[https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2017/02/25/kansas-community-tries-to-heal-after-racially-motivated-shooting.html Kansas community tries to heal after racially motivated shooting], ''[[Toronto Star]]'', John Hanna & John Suhr (AP), February 25, 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Hyderabad techie killed in Kansas bar: FBI probes 'hate crime' angle|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/world/america/240217/kansas-shooting-fbi-joins-probe-into-hate-crime-against-slain-indian-man.html|date=24 February 2017|language=en}}</ref><ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/02/srinivas-kuchibhotla-alok-madasani/518160/ A Murder in Trump's America], ''[[The Atlantic]]'', Anand Giridharadas, February 28, 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.</ref>

==Legal proceedings==
Purinton was charged with one count of [[first-degree murder]] and two counts of attempted first-degree murder.<ref name="kc"/> He was held in the [[Johnson County, Kansas|Johnson County]] jail, with his bond set at $2 million.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/suspect-in-kansas-shooting-adam-purinton-appears-in-court/articleshow/57385107.cms |title=Suspect in Kansas shooting Adam Purinton appears in court |website=The Economic Times}}</ref><ref name="livemint">{{cite web |url=http://www.livemint.com/Politics/pG3IK3DfiurLm7CEgaivrL/US-hate-attack-Indian-engineer-shot-dead-2-critically-inju.html |title=US hate attack: Indian engineer shot dead, 2 critically injured in Kansas |last1=Jha|first1=Lalit |date=24 February 2017}}</ref> He faced a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://in.reuters.com/article/kansas-india-idINKBN1630M8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224175522/http://in.reuters.com/article/kansas-india-idINKBN1630M8 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 24, 2017 |title=Kansas man charged with killing Indian in possible hate crime |last1=Kalra |first1=Aditya |first2=Dave |last2=Kaup |website=Reuters |access-date=March 29, 2021}}</ref>
His preliminary hearing was initially scheduled for September 18;<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article150657322.html |title=Suspect in Austin’s bar shooting in Olathe gets preliminary hearing date |last=Campbell |first=Matt |date=May 15, 2017 |publisher=The Kansas City Star |website=Kansas City |access-date=March 29, 2021}}</ref> then postponed to January 2018.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article181257071.html |title=Preliminary hearing set in alleged hate crime killing at Olathe bar |date=October 27, 2017 |access-date=October 30, 2017 |first=Tony |last=Rizzo |newspaper=The Kansas City Star}}</ref> In November Purinton waived his right to a preliminary hearing and was [[arraignment|arraigned]] on one count of first degree murder and two counts of attempted murder, initially entering a not guilty plea.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/not-guilty-plea-in-alleged-hate-crime-killing-at-kansas-bar/ |title=Not guilty plea in alleged hate crime killing at Kansas bar |publisher=CBS News |date=December 1, 2017 |access-date=March 29, 2021}}</ref>

Purinton later pleaded guilty to the state charges of murder and attempted murder on March 6, 2018. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility for parole for the murder on May 4, 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/kansas-shooting-us-man-who-killed-srinivas-kuchibhotla-sentenced-to-life/articleshow/64036091.cms |title=Kansas shooting: US man who killed Indian techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla sentenced to life imprisonment |date=May 5, 2018 |website=Times of India |access-date=March 29, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/world/kansas-man-gets-life-in-prison-for-killing-of-indian-immigrant-srinivas-kuchibhotla-5164163/lite/ |title=Kansas man gets life in prison for killing Indian immigrant Srinivas Kuchibhotla |date=May 5, 2018 |website=Indian Express |access-date=March 29, 2021}}</ref>

Purinton later pleaded guilty to federal hate-crime charges, thereby avoiding a death sentence, and received three consecutive life in prison sentences.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article215983575.html |title=Austins killer gets three life sentences for targeting men he thought were Iranian |last=Rizzo |first=Tony |website=Kansas City |access-date=2018-12-17}}</ref>

As of January 2024, Purinton is incarcerated at [[Hutchinson Correctional Facility]] in [[Hutchinson, Kansas]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Disclaimer |url=https://kdocrepository.doc.ks.gov/kasper/ |website=kdocrepository.doc.ks.gov |publisher=Kansas Department of Corrections |access-date=10 January 2024}}</ref>

==Reactions==
[[Sushma Swaraj]], India's [[Minister of External Affairs (India)|Foreign minister]], said on [[Twitter]] that "I am shocked", and that she would help the family to bring the victim's body back to Hyderabad.<ref name="livemint"/>

Garmin later issued a public statement about the incident: "We’re saddened that two Garmin associates were involved in [the] incident, and we express our condolences to the family and friends of our co-workers involved. Garmin will have grievance counselors on-site and available for its associates today and tomorrow."<ref name="livemint"/>

The families of victims have blamed the policies of U.S. President [[Donald Trump]], for the incident.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kansas shooting: Slain Indian's kin blames Donald Trump policies for racial attack|url=http://www.firstpost.com/world/kansas-shooting-slain-indians-kin-blames-donald-trump-policies-for-racial-attack-3301592.html|website=Firstpost|date=24 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Family of slain Indian engineer blames Trump's policies|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/family-of-slain-indian-engineer-blames-trump-s-policies-117022400997_1.html|website=Business Standard India|date=24 February 2017}}</ref> When asked by reporters whether "rhetoric that the President or—that generally has been out here recently could have contributed in any way", [[White House press secretary]] [[Sean Spicer]] stated, "I mean, obviously, any loss of life is tragic, but I'm not going to get into, like, that kind of—to suggest that there’s any correlation I think is a bit absurd. So I’m not going to go any further than that.<ref>{{cite web|title=Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Sean Spicer, 2/24/2017|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2017/02/24/press-gaggle-press-secretary-sean-spicer-2242017|language=en|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|date=24 February 2017}}</ref>

The incident was condemned by several American lawmakers and civil rights groups. US Senator [[Jerry Moran]] of Kansas posted a statement on Facebook about the shooting, expressing concern for the safety of other immigrants.<ref>{{cite web|title=Srinivas Kuchibhotla: US murder possible hate crime|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/02/kansas-city-shooting-investigated-hate-crime-170224063319878.html|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref> Later President Trump, who condemned the attack at the beginning of [[Donald Trump speech to joint session of Congress, February 2017|his address]] to a [[Joint Session of Congress|joint session of Congress]] said that "Recent threats ( ... ), as well as last week's shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms".<ref name="TH1">{{cite web|last1=George|first1=Varghese K.|title=Indian’s murder not linked to Trump politics: White House|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/_Indian%E2%80%99s-murder-not-linked-to-Trump-polittics/article17367864.ece|website=The Hindu|access-date=25 February 2017|date=February 25, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Donald Trump's Congress speech (full text)|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/28/politics/donald-trump-speech-transcript-full-text/|work=CNN|language=en}}</ref>

Kansas Governor [[Sam Brownback]] signed a proclamation to honor the three victims of the shooting and declared March 16 as Indian American Appreciation day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article139001753.html|title=Survivors of Olathe bar shooting appear at Kansas Capitol with Gov. Brownback|publisher=The Kansas City Star|date=March 16, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/kansas-recognises-march-16-as-indian-american-appreciation-day/article17508905.ece|title=Kansas recognises March 16 as Indian-American Appreciation Day|first=|last=PTI|publisher=}}</ref><ref name="kc">{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/us-canada-news/kansas-recognises-march-16-as-indian-american-appreciation-day/articleshow/57686022.cms|title=Kansas recognises March 16 as Indian-American Appreciation Day|newspaper=Times of India|publisher=}}</ref>

Members of India House Houston later raised $100,000 to honor the white American who came to the aid of the victims.<ref>{{cite web|title=Indians in US raise $100,000 for Kansas shooting hero Ian Grillot|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/indians-in-us-raise-100-000-for-kansas-shooting-hero-ian-grillot/story-VWqWPF7d1ninX8VeK9h0DL.html|website=hindustantimes.com/|language=en|date=26 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Indian dignitaries honor Olathe bar hero Ian Grillot, surprise him with big check|url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article141007908.html|website=kansascity|language=en}}</ref> He was also honored by the Asian Culture Association for heroism.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ian Grillot receives hero award at Asian culture event in Olathe|url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article147658199.html|website=kansascity|language=en}}</ref>

The victim Kuchibhotla's widow, Sunayana Dumala, faced deportation since her visa was tied to that of her husband's H-1B temporary highly skilled worker visa status.<ref>[http://www.theindpost.com/news/widow-of-kansas-shooting-victim-temporarily-lost-resident-status-after-husband-s-death Widow of Kansas shooting victim temporarily lost resident status after husband's death] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928102836/http://www.theindpost.com/news/widow-of-kansas-shooting-victim-temporarily-lost-resident-status-after-husband-s-death|date=2017-09-28}}, ''[[The IND Post]]'', September 19, 2017. Retrieved September 28, 2017.</ref> In January 2018, she received an H-1B temporary visa of her own.<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/560669/hate-crime-in-kansas/ The Devastating Olathe, Kansas Hate Crime Shooting of Srinivas Kuchibhotla in 2017], ''[[The Atlantic]]'', May 18, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2018.</ref>

==See also==
* [[Anti-Middle Eastern sentiment]]
* [[Anti-Iranian sentiment]]
* [[Anti-Indian sentiment]]
* [[2016 Minneapolis shooting]]
* [[2017 Portland train attack]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/indian-man-killed-in-possibly-racially-motivated-shooting-at-kansas-bar/ Indian man killed in possibly racially motivated shooting at Kansas bar], CTV News
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170227234943/http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/911-call-kansas-bar-shooting-suspect-claimed-he-d-killed-iranians-1.3303470 911 call: Kansas bar shooting suspect claimed he'd killed 'Iranians'], CTV News

{{DEFAULTSORT:Olathe, Kansas shooting, 2017}}
[[Category:2017 in Kansas]]
[[Category:2017 murders in the United States]]
[[Category:Anti-Indian sentiment in the United States]]
[[Category:Anti-Iranian sentiment in North America]]
[[Category:Anti–Middle Eastern sentiment]]
[[Category:Asian-American history]]
[[Category:Asian-American-related controversies]]
[[Category:Crimes in Kansas]]
[[Category:February 2017 crimes in the United States]]
[[Category:February 2017 in the United States]]
[[Category:Indian-American history]]
[[Category:Indian people murdered abroad]]
[[Category:Murder in Kansas]]
[[Category:Olathe, Kansas|2017 shooting]]
[[Category:Racially motivated violence against Asian Americans]]
[[Category:Xenophobia in the United States]]

2017 Olathe shooting - Revision history

Marta694059068 at 07:43, 27 November 2025