Kansas shooting: Killer of Indian immigrant Kuchibhotla gets life sentence

Witnesses said Adam Purinton, a US Navy veteran, shouted 'Get out of my country' as he shot Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla

Adam Purinton, the US Navy veteran who had in March this year pleaded guilty of murdering Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla in a racially motivated hate crime at a bar in Kansas City last year, was on Friday sentenced to a life in prison. A federal judge in Kansas ruled that Purinton, 52, would spend his life in prison for the first-degree murder of Kuchibhotla, 32, and 165 months for each of the other two murder that he was charged with.

The other two counts in which Purinton had been charged were attempted murder by shooting of Kuchibhotla's friend, Alok Madasani, and a bystander who chased Purinton when the latter fled the Austin Bar and Grill in Olathe city on February 22 last year.

Purinton is said to have yelled, "Get out of my country", before shooting Kuchibhotla, who later died of injuries sustained in the attack.

Kuchibhotla is survived by his wife Sunayana Dumala, who welcomed the court's decision. "Today's sentencing in the murder of my husband will not bring back my Srinu, but it sends a strong message that hate is never acceptable," Dumala said in a statement.

"I want to thank the District Attorney's office and the Olathe police for their efforts to bring this man to justice," she said.

Here are the top developments around the Kansas shooting in which Indian techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla had been killed and the sentencing of the US Navy veteran Adam Purinton man in the case: 

1. US Navy veteran gets life imprisonment: Purinton received the maximum punishment for the murder, and two sentences of 165 months each for the attempted murders. While Purinton would be eligible for parole in 50 years, the 52-year-old was likely to spend the rest of his life in prison.

2. Srinivas Kuchibhotla's wife led peace walk in March: Sunayana Dumala, the widow of Kuchibhotla, led a peace walk with her husband's hundreds of friends and co-workers on what would have been the 34th birthday of Kuchibhotla. "We're gathered here because of man's one action and the hate that took of an innocent life," Sunayana told the large crowd gathered outside of Garmin where Kuchibhotla and Madasani were engineers. "Sunayana has not let this tragedy defeat her, instead she used the circumstances to find a voice and spread a message," Garmin CEO Clifton Pemble said to the crowd before the walk began.

"The goal is to share more immigrant stories from the past and present and to spread a positive message that America is welcome to everybody from all walks of life," Sunayana said.

The approximately 3-kilometre peace walk from the Garmin headquarters to the bar was meant to honour the life of Kuchibhotla.

3. Adam Purinton pleaded guilty before the Kansas court: Purinton was charged with first-degree murder of Kuchibhotla, and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shootings of his friend, Madasani. He also shot and wounded Ian Grillot, an Olathe man who tried to defend Kuchibhotla and Madasani. In March he pleaded guilty before Kansas court. Witnesses said the 52-year-old shouted "Get out of my country" as he shot the pair.

4. Adam Purinton had pleaded not guilty in December 2017: During a preliminary hearing, Purinton pleaded "not guilty". He waived his preliminary hearing and the not guilty plea was entered on his behalf.

5. Kansas shooting was another blow to the Telugu community in US: In December 2016, Chunduri Sai Tejaswi, a 23-year-old student from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, was killed after she was hit by a speeding vehicle while crossing the road in Fremont's Niles District. Earlier, in July, Sankeerth, 25, of Hyderabad was murdered by his roommate, also an Indian, in Austin, Texas.

In June 2016, Hyderabad's Namboori Sridatta (25), who was working with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Arizona, drowned while picnicking with friends at a waterfall. Early 2016, Shiva Karan, a 23-year-old student from Hyderabad, committed suicide, reportedly due to depression. He was pursuing a master's programme in Raleigh of North Carolina State University. In June 2015, Sai Kiran, 23, of Hyderabad was shot dead by a robber in Florida after he refused to part with his mobile phone.

Sai Kiran was pursuing his MS from Atlantic University and had left India only a month and a half back. In a similar case in 2014, Elaprolu Jayachandra, 22, was shot dead during a robbery at a convenience store in Pasadena, Texas, where he was working.

6. More than 600,000 Telugus live in the US: Indian Americans who have spent considerable time in the US point out that among various ethnic communities in the US, the Indians are doing well and among Indians, Telugus have excelled in various fields.

More than 600,000 Telugus are estimated to be living in the US. Many youngsters are pursuing advanced degrees and have become successful software professionals, engineers, doctors and business managers.