An Indian-origin student was shot dead in a suspected robbery bid at Kansas city of Missouri in the United States on July 6. Sharath Koppu, a 25-year-old software engineer from Hyderabad who was pursuing a masters degree in computer science at the University of Missouri, was killed by an unidentified gunman inside a restaurant where he worked.
Koppu was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to the injuries. The Kansas City Police Department has released a small clip from the CCTV footage recorded at the restaurant, and asked for people’s help in identifying the suspect. “Only 3 TIPS have been received so far,” police spokesman Capt. Lionel Colón told the Kansas City Star in an email on July 8. “We ask the community for continued help identifying the suspect.”
The Kansas City Police have also announced a $10,000 reward for any information leading to the culprit.
Looking for this suspect in the robbery & murder of 25-y.o. Sharath Kopuu at 5412 Prospect last night. Sharath was from India and is a student at UMKC. $10,000 reward for info leading to charges in this (& every KCMO murder) https://t.co/qUxkcItwXf
— kcpolice (@kcpolice) July 7, 2018
The incident happened at around 7pm local time at J’s Fish and Chicken Market at 5412 Prospect Ave. Koppu tried to run away from the armed robber while the other people present at the site ducked, NDTV reported citing eye witnesses. He was shot in the back. “There were five people working in the restaurant on Friday evening when the suspect walked in. He pushed a customer standing in front of him and pulled out a gun. The others ducked behind the counter but Sharath turned around and began to run in the opposite direction when the gunman opened fire. Sharath was shot in the back and soon fell to the ground,” Shahid, who runs the restaurant, was quoted as saying by the publication.
The suspect, who soon escaped, is seen wearing a brown-and-white striped t-shirt in the video released by the police.
Responding officers performed CPR on Koppu until fire personnel arrived and transported him to a hospital, where he died. Two witnesses, who were inside a nearby motel, said that they heard five gunshots coming from the direction of the restaurant, the police said in a statement. By the time they reached outside, the suspect had fled.
Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted a condolence message on July 8.
Kansas incident – I have spoken to Sharath's father Shri Ram Mohan Reddy in Hyderabad to convey our heartfelt condolences. We have offered that in case a family member wishes to go to Kansas, we will facilitate the US Visa. Else we will bring the mortal remains at the earliest.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 8, 2018
Koppu came to the United States in January this year to pursue the post-graduate course. His father Ram Mohan, who works with the BSNL in Hyderabad, requested the Indian consulate in Chicago and the U.S. government to repatriate his son’s body at the earliest, the Hindu reported.
Earlier this year, U.S. navy veteran Adam Purinton was sentenced to life term for killing Srinivas Kuchibhotla, a technical professional from Hyderabad, in a bar in Kansas in February 2017.