Man Pleads Guilty to Killing Indian-American Man

By Kenrya Rankin Mar 08, 2018

In February 2017, Adam Purinton yelled at Srinivas Kuchibhotla to “get out of my country,” then fatally shot him in a Kansas bar. Purinton, who is White, was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and committing a hate crime.

The Washington Post reports that on Tuesday (March 6), Purinton pleaded guilty to the murder charges, which were brought by the Johnson County (Kansas) District Attorney’s office.

As Colorlines previously reported, witnesses said that Purinton shot Kuchibhotla, his colleague Alok Madasani, and Ian Grillot, a White man who tried to stop the harassment:

[Purinton] harassed Kuchibhotla and Madasani—both Indian immigrants and colleagues with nearby technology company Garmin—with racist slurs before opening fire. An affidavit adds that Madasani told police about Purinton repeatedly questioning their immigration status before Grillot and another person told him to leave. Purinton then returned 30 minutes later, shooting Kuchibhotla, Madasani and Grillot. Police across the state border in Clinton, Missouri, apprehended Purinton after a bartender called 911, saying that Purinton mentioned killing two “Middle Eastern” men.

Purinton will be sentenced in May, and The Post reports that, per his plea agreement, he is likely to be imprisoned for the remainder of his life. He pleaded not guilty on the hate crime charges last November. Those charges, coupled with Kuchibhotla’s death, carry a possible death sentence.