Washington/Hyderabad, Feb 24 (IANS) An Indian engineer was killed and another injured by an American who mistook them for "Middle Easterners" and yelled "Get out of my country" before shooting them at a bar.

Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed and Alok Madasani was injured when Adam W. Purinton, a white who earlier served in the US Navy, shot them at the Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas state, on Wednesday night.

Ian Grillot, 24, an American who tried to save the Indians, was also shot at, media reports quoted police as saying. Grillot was recovering in a hospital while Madasani was discharged. 

The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) called it a hate crime. 

Police said Purinton, 51, fired multiple rounds and fled the bar. He was arrested on Thursday morning in Clinton city in neighbouring Missouri state when a bartender told police that he had bragged about killing "two Middle Eastern men", The Kansas City Star reported.

The killer has been charged with first-degree murder.

"It was a tragic and senseless act of violence," Olathe Police Chief Steven Menke said.

Kuchibhotla hailed from Hyderabad while Madasani is from Warangal town in Telangana. They were aviation programme managers at Garmin, an electronics manufacturer. 

Kuchibhotla is survived by his wife, Sunayana, in the US. She also works in Kansas. Madasani's wife is five months pregnant.

According to his profile on LinkedIn, Kuchibhotla graduated from the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Hyderabad in 2005. Madasani is a graduate of the Vasavi College of Engineering in Hyderabad.

Kuchibhotla's family in India was in shock and sought help from the state and central governments to bring home his body.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday expressed "heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family" and said she had spoken to the Indian ambassador, Navtej Sarna.

The Minister said Consul R.D. Joshi had rushed from Houston to Kansas and Vice Consul Harpal Singh was also proceeding from Dallas to Kansas.

They would meet the injured Madasani and help in flying back the mortal remains of Kuchibhotla. 

According to The Star, federal officials were investigating if the attack was a hate crime. 

The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) said the killing was "the first reported bias-motivated fatality in the US after the bitter Presidential election" that catapulted Donald Trump to office.

"We call upon the US Department of Justice and local law enforcement to investigate this murder as what it is, a hate crime," said Jay Kansara, the HAF Director of Government Relations.

The killing of the innocent engineer triggered dismay in India.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said he was saddened to learn about the attack.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page created to collect money to help Kuchibhotla's family crossed its $150,000 goal, raising nearly $250,000 in 11 hours.

More than 6,700 people, including Americans, donated $248,404 on the page created by Kuchibhotla's friend Kavipriya Muthuramalingam.

Kuchibhotla is the second youth from Telangana to be killed in the US in February.

Software engineer Vamshi Reddy Mamidala was shot dead by an alleged drug addict in Milpitas, California, on February 10, in the garage of his apartment building.

Indian's killing: Mission officials rush to Kansas

New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday expressed shock over the shooting incident in the US in which an Indian-origin man was killed and another injured, and said that two Indian Embassy officials have rushed to the state of Kansas where the incident took place.

Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani were shot at a bar in Olathe, Kansas, on Wednesday night by a former Navy serviceman who mistook them for "Middle Easterners". Kuchibhotla died in the shooting.

"I am shocked at the shooting incident in Kansas in which Srinivas Kuchibhotla has been killed. My heartfelt condolences to bereaved family," Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

Swaraj said she had spoken to Indian Ambassador in US Navtej Sarna and that "two Indian embassy officials have rushed to Kansas".

According to her, "Alok Madasani, who was injured in the incident, has been discharged from the hospital".

During the incident an American, who tried to intervene, also received injuries, a External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

"The deceased and the injured person are from Hyderabad and Warangal, and have been working at Garmin in Olathe," he said.

"Consul R.D. Joshi is rushing from Houston to Kansas to render all possible assistance. Vice Consul Harpal Singh is also proceeding from Dallas to Kansas."

According to the spokesperson,the Indian officials will meet the injured and facilitate in bringing the mortal remains of the deceased and be in touch with local police officials to ascertain more details of the incident and monitor follow up action. 

"They will also meet the community members in Kansas," Swarup said.

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. 

New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) The US on Friday "strongly" condemned the shooting in which an Indian man was killed and another injured in Kansas and said it has reached out to Indian consular officials to offer support, a statement said.

"The US Embassy strongly condemns the tragic shooting in Olathe, Kansas, resulting in the death of an Indian citizen and injury to an Indian and an American," an embassy statement said. 

Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani were shot at a bar in Olathe on Wednesday night by a former Navy serviceman allegedly mistaking them as "Middle Easterners". 

"We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Kuchibhotla. We share their grief, and wish a full and speedy recovery to those who were injured," the statement said.

It said the US embassy officials have reached out to Indian consular officials to offer full support. 

The embassy also expressed its full faith in the US authorities investigating the matter. 

"We understand that the alleged shooter is in custody and is expected to be prosecuted for the crime. US Federal authorities are also investigating the case. We have full faith that US legal authorities will bring the case to justice.

Chargé d'Affaires MaryKay Carlson said she was "deeply saddened by this tragic and senseless act...in a nation of immigrants"

The US, she said, "welcomes people from across the world to visit, work, study, and live". 

Help pours in for family of Indian killed in US

 Hyderabad, Feb 24 (IANS) Help poured in for the family of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was shot dead by a former American naval serviceman in Kansas in the US.

Kuchibhotla, 32, from Hyderabad, was killed and his friend Alok Madasani, from Warangal, was injured when Adam Purinton shot the two at a bar in Olathe city on Wednesday evening.

They were working as aviation programme managers at Garmin, an electronics manufacturer.

Purinton mistook the Indians for "Middle Easterners" and yelled "Get out of my country" before opening fire.

Ian Grillot, 24, was injured when he tried to intervene.

A GoFundMe page created to collect money to help Kuchibhotla's family has crossed its $150,000 goal, raising nearly $250,000 in 11 hours.

More than 6,700 people, including Americans, have donated $248,404 on the page created by Kuchibhotla's friend Kavipriya Muthuramalingam.

"Srini was the kindest person you would meet, full of love, care and compassion for everyone. He never uttered a word of hatred, a simple gossip, or a careless comment. He was brilliant, well mannered and simply an outstanding human being," the page says.

"His wife Sunayana and his family are now faced with incredible grief and a multitude of expenses. We've set up this fund to help them with the funeral expenses and other ongoing grief/recovery support costs."