A 23-year old Richard Florez of North Richland Hills in Texas has been arrested for the murder of Indian student, Pole Chandrashekar, who was fatally shot while working a part-time shift at a Fort Worth gas station on Friday night.
Authorities allege Florez shot Pole at a gas station on Eastchase Parkway before fleeing the scene. Minutes later, Florez reportedly fired at another vehicle about a mile away, then crashed his car into a gate while trying to enter a residence on Meadowbrook Drive.
He was arrested shortly after the crash, and a firearm was recovered from his vehicle.
Fort Worth Police spokesperson Officer Brad Perez confirmed that Florez is currently hospitalized but has been formally charged with homicide. The motive for the attack remains under investigation.
Pole, a native of Hyderabad, had completed a Bachelor of Dental Surgery before moving to the US two years ago. He recently earned a Master’s degree in Data Analytics from the University of North Texas in Denton and was seeking employment.
He had taken the gas station job to support himself financially.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Pole was pronounced dead at the scene. Due to a local government shutdown, further details and a formal police statement have been delayed.
The Indian Consulate in Houston is working with Pole’s family to facilitate the repatriation of his remains.
Pole Chandrashekar's killing is the latest in a troubling series of violent incidents involving Indian students in the US, raising fresh concerns about their safety, particularly those working late-night shifts in high-risk jobs.
(With inputs from PTI)
