New York: US President Donald Trump during his address to Congress on Wednesday condemned the incident at a bar where an Indian engineer was killed and another injured by an American who mistook them for “Middle Easterners”.
“Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centres and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, 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,” Trump said.
A 51-year-old US Navy veteran opened fire, killing Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, and injuring Alok Madasani, also 32, and an American in a bar in Olathe, Kansas, last week.
The attacker identified as Adam Purinton mistook the Indians for “Middle Easterners” and reportedly yelled “get out of my country”.
Ian Grillot, 24, was injured when he tried to intervene to save the Indians.
Kuchibhotla hailed from Hyderabad while Madasani hails from Warangal town in Telangana. They were working as aviation programme managers at Garmin, an electronics manufacturer.
The family of Kuchibhotla was shocked over the incident and has sought help from the state and central governments in bringing his body back home.
