Srinivas Kuchibhotla’s killer pleads guilty to hate crime
A US Navy veteran, who is serving life in prison for killing Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla and injuring two others at a suburban Kansas City bar last year, has pleaded guilty to hate crime and firearm charges.
Adam Purinton admitted that he fatally shot Kuchibhotla in February 2017 after confronting him and another man Alok Madasani from India at Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe.
He is already serving life in prison on a state murder charge.
He faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, which is the sentence that the prosecution and defense are jointly requesting. Sentencing is scheduled for July 2.
"Hate crimes are acts of evil, and the Department of Justice has prioritized their zealous prosecution," said Acting Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio.
In this case, Purinton embarked on a murderous rampage with clear premeditation to kill on the basis of race, color, religion, and national origin, he said.
"It was a hate crime, and he is being brought to justice. While we cannot ameliorate the irreparable harm to the victims and their families, we hope that securing this guilty plea brings them some measure of closure. And this prosecution sends a message across the nation: hate crimes will not be tolerated," Panuccio said.
Several weeks before the shooting, Kuchibhotla and Madasani, his friend and fellow engineer at Garmin, were at Austins when Purinton saw them and made a comment to another patron.
"Did you see the terrorists on the patio?" Purinton asked.
The patron told him they were from India and they were not terrorists.
On February 22, 2017, the two friends were once again having an after-work drink at the bar when Purinton approached and confronted them.
He demanded to know where they were from, then poked Kuchibhotla in the chest, and called him a terrorist.
"Get out of my country," he yelled.
That's when bar patrons, including Ian Grillot, asked Purinton to leave and he was escorted from the business by employees.
Purinton
then
went
home,
changed
clothes
and
got
his
9mm
semi-automatic
handgun.
He
returned
to
the
bar,
covered
his
face
with
a
scarf
to
hide
his
identity
and
went
inside.
He
then
fired
eight
shots
at
the
two
Indian
men.
Kuchibhotla
was
hit
by
at
least
four
bullets.
Madasani
was
shot
in
the
leg.
As
he
fled
from
the
shooting,
Grillot
ran
after
him.
Purinton
turned
and
shot
him.
Later,
Purinton
called
a
friend
and
and
said
he
was
on
the
run
from
police
because
he
had
shot
"two
Iranians."
He
was
charged
with
murder
in
Johnson
County
and
with
the
hate
crimes
in
federal
court.
In
March,
he
pleaded
guilty
in
Johnson
County
to
a
charge
of
first-degree
murder
as
well
as
two
counts
of
attempted
first-degree
murder
for
wounding
Madasani
and
Grillot.
Earlier
this
month,
a
Johnson
County
judge
sentenced
Purinton
to
life
in
prison.