We should all be talking to each other about the murder of Srinivas Kuchibhotla.

His death highlights what can go wrong when we don’t know, understand or care about each other, and what good can come when we do.

Last week at Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe Kansas, Adam Purinton approached Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani and asked them what type of visa they had and if they were in the country illegally. (Both were educated in the US and here legally). He also hurled racial slurs towards the two immigrants from India. For a moment, things seemed to get better:

Patrons at the bar complained and Purinton was removed from the bar
Someone else picked up the tab for the two men

But then got much worse. Purington came back with a gun, and witnesses heard him yell “get out of my country!” He shot at Kuchibhotla and Madasani, killing Kuchibhotla.

Ian Grillot tried to intervene and was also shot

Purington ran off and later ended up in an Applebee’s, where he eventually told the bartender that he was in trouble as he had killed some Iranians.

She called the police and he was arrested without incident

People worldwide have come together to help the Kuchibhotla family. Currently, there are close to 18,000 donations. Click here to donate.

Let’s start talking to each other and try to prevent this from happening to other families. Hatred and ignorance are not American values.

Some of America’s goodness comes though in a very un-American moment.

We should all be talking to each other about the murder of Srinivas Kuchibhotla.

His death highlights what can go wrong when we don’t know, understand or care about each other, and what good can come when we do.

Let’s start talking to each other and try to prevent this from happening to other families. Hatred and ignorance are not American values.

Sources