New York Sources have stated that the killing of an Indian-origin man shows the worst and the best of America the undercurrent of bigotry and the heroism and the generosity, which are often the dominant traits. A 24 year old man rushed to overpower the gunman, who shot dead Srinivas Kuchibhotla and injured Alok Madasani, and he took several bullets in the Wednesday night attack at a bar in Olathe, Kansas state. Civil rights organization, Hindu American Foundation (HAF), said: “It is these acts of heroism in our communities that make America great.”
Ian Grillot, who has been hailed a hero, brushed off the accolades. Grillot was injured in the neck, chest, vertebrae and hand by shooter Adam Purinton, a former Navy serviceman. A stranger who had never met the two Indian origin men has started a fund raising campaign for them. Brian Eric Ford, 39, set up an account on the online site GoFundMe for raising funds, jointly for the family of Kuchibhotla and Madasani.
“I’ve been retty closely following since the election the
rise in white nationalism,” the Kansas City graphic artist told The Star. He
had stated that “I thought this was a chance to do something to show support
for these communities that are being attacked.” As of Thursday night, 816
people had contributed $29,726 to the fund, which has a target of $50,000. Another
GoFundMe account set up for Kuchibhotla’s family by Kavipriya Muthuramalingam
raised $217,440 from 5,843 people by Thursday night, exceeding the goal of
$150,000. Purinton was on Thursday arrested in Clinton city in neighbouring
Missouri state after a bartender reported to police that the man said he had
killed “two Middle Easterns” and was looking for a place to hide, the Star
quoted the local police as saying.