US: Telangana student shot dead during suspected robbery attempt at Missouri restaurant
Sharath Koppu was a postgraduate student of software engineering at the University of Missouri Kansas City.
A 25-year-old Indian student died soon after being shot inside a restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri, on Friday evening. Indian authorities identified him as Sharath Koppu from Telangana. He was shot during a suspected robbery attempt, police said.
Koppu was a postgraduate student of software engineering at the University of Missouri Kansas City, and worked at the restaurant part-time.
A worker at the restaurant told The Kansas City Star that while others ducked for cover, Koppu ran away from the suspect toward the back of the store, and was shot in the back. Two other witnesses, who were in a nearby motel, said they had heard five gunshots. The incident took place around 7 pm local time on Friday.
Police have released a video clip of a suspect inside the restaurant before the shooting and have asked for citizens’ help in identifying him. They announced a reward of $10,000 for providing information about the suspect. The number of people involved is not clear yet.
“We immediately rendered aid in regard to the injuries,” Captain Lionel Colon of the local police department told The Kansas City Star. “Once the fire department arrived, they transported him to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.”
An investigation is under way.
Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj said she had spoken to the victim’s father, Ram Mohan Reddy in Hyderabad. “We have offered that in case a family member wishes to go to Kansas, we will facilitate the United States visa. Else we will bring the mortal remains at the earliest,” Swaraj tweeted.
Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao and Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari met the victim’s family, ANI reported.
In May, a Kansas man was sentenced to life in prison for shooting dead Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla in February 2017. Adam Purinton reportedly yelled “get out of my country” before fatally shooting Kuchibhotla at a bar in Olathe, Kansas.