Kansas, Missouri Governors condemn killing of Indian techie

Law enforcement here in Kansas will continue to thoroughly investigate this crime," the Kansas Governor Sam Brownback said.

WASHINGTON:  The governors of Kansas and Missouri states have strongly condemned the shooting incident that resulted in the "tragic" death of an Indian engineer last week. "This sort of senseless violence is never acceptable.

Law enforcement here in Kansas will continue to thoroughly investigate this crime," the Kansas Governor Sam Brownback said. "The friends and family of Srinivas Kuchibhotla are in our prayers.

We hope for a speedy recovery for the other men who were shot," Brownback said. 32-year-old Kuchibhotla, who was working at GPS-maker Garmin headquarters in Olathe, Kansas, was killed after he was shot by a navy veteran yelling "get out of my country" and "terrorist" at a bar on Wednesday night in Kansas City in the state of Missouri. Kuchibhotla's Indian colleague Alok Madasani was injured when the 51-year-old shooter opened fire on them.

A third person, an American who tried to intervene, was also injured. Missouri Governor Eric Greitens thanked his state law enforcement official for arresting the shooter who had fled the Kansas city after shooting the two Indian men. "It is alleged that, when the suspect went into the bar, he shouted 'get out of my country' before firing his weapon.

We will learn the truth of what happened in the bar soon enough, but what we can say for certain is this: this hate has no place in our state," Greitens said. "This violence has no place in our state. And if you are a violent criminal who harms the innocent, you will find no quarter in our state. Come across our border, and we will find you and bring you to justice," he asserted.

After the shooting, the suspect fled across the Kansas border into Missouri. "It was Missouri police officers from the Clinton Police Department who arrested him. He was sent back to Kansas and will face the judgment of the court on Monday," Greitens said. "We owe our thanks to Missouri law enforcement for their quick action.

Though the suspect went quietly, there was no guarantee of that. Anything could have happened. Our police officers put their lives on the line on every call of this kind," he said. "It was a concerned Missourian who is said to have alerted the police.

The suspect had admitted the crime to her and asked her for a place to hide out. She took responsible and decisive action that led to the arrest," he said in a statement.

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